Naruto: Sand Shinobi!
by Hugo Reed
Summary: Naruto does what he promised and returns Sauske. Upon his return to Kohona, Sakura attempts to kill him and he flees to Suna. There a new romance blooms with a certain blonde couple. I thank you all for the reviews. HR. Finished
1. Prologue: Return to Kohona

Naruto: Sand Shinobi!

By Hugo Reed

Prologue: Return to Kohona

Soft leaves that had fallen from their wooden owners blew across the dirt road that lead into Kohona. The day was bright and sunny, and had a fair amount of wind. Two black outlines of figures stood in complete stillness at the great wooden gates of the village hidden in the leafs. Sakura Haruno, member of the ninja genin squad that trained under Kakashi Hatake, had a worried look on her face. She had pink hair with her ninja headband tied to the top of her head. Her red dress was swaying slightly in time with the wind, creating a small metronome for a symphony of the leafs hitting the dirt road.

The only other man at the gate was Sakura's sensei, Kakashi Hatake. Kakashi was also commonly Kakashi no sharigan or the copy cat ninja. His left eye, covered by his forehead protector, was his sharigan eye, given to him by his old teammate, now long dead. Kakashi wore what was common for most jonnin of the hidden leaf village. His black pants were covered from the middle of the calf down by leg wrappings that disappeared into his sandals. He had a black shirt with red spirals on the shoulders and on top of it all, a green vest that was gained at the chunnin level. The scarecrow ninja's hair was tall and white.

Both of these figures were waiting for someone to return. Naruto Uzamaki. The blonde boy was the human container of the terrifying nine-tailed fox, Kyuubi no Kitsune, and another genin who worked underneath Kakashi. He was the orange-clad knuckle-head ninja. Naruto Uzamaki was the self-proclaimed future hokage, and was far stronger then Sakura, and if he used Kyuubi's strength through the seal on his stomach, far stronger then Kakashi. Kakashi and Sakura were waiting for Naruto to bring back the last teammate of team Kakashi, Sasuke Uchiha.

Sasuke Uchiha was one of the two members left of the once mighty Uchiha clan. The other was his brother, Itachi Uchiha, who had murdered all of his clan as a test of his power. The Uchiha clan were the only people who could use the sharigan, save Kakashi. Sasuke was an avenger who had worked to make himself strong and talented. His was everything Naruto could've wanted to be. He was cool, popular, strong and the kind of genin a lot of sensei would love to teach. Most didn't look twice at Naruto Uzamaki, unless it was to hurt him for Kyuubi.

Kyuubi no Kitsune was the mighty fox that was the lord of all demons. Twelve years ago he had attacked Kohona in hunger, and the need for human flesh. Kyuubi was sealed inside Naruto, and not to be trusted. Yet, when most people saw Naruto they thought he was the nine-tails instead of it's holder. The Kyuubi killed many people and as such, Naruto gave people something to hate. Hate it is an eternal flaw in humans that forces them to attack each other. People hated Kyuubi, but Kyuubi couldn't be there to be hated. So, people hated Naruto.

Naruto had been beaten, hurt, cursed and attacked in some way or another by almost every person in Kohona at some point. However, after striving for years and years just to become good, Naruto had not only found a small group of friends, but managed to become on par with the best genin ever to come out of the hidden leaf village. Naruto Uzamaki was constantly made fun of for being the dead last, yet he had surpassed every single genin in his year. The sun was beginning to set over the hills, creating a picture that even the most skilled painter would've killed to see. It would've been a marvel to behold, had the situation not been so grim.

Sasuke had run away from Kohona, the village hidden in the leafs, to go to Orochimaru. Orochimaru was a traitor to the leaf village. He had been an apprentice to the third hokage, and after failing to become the fourth hokage he had betrayed the leaf village in the chance to learn the entire world of jutsu. Now that Sasuke had fled to this incredibly powerful man, all Sakura and Kakashi could do was wait for Naruto to drag him back to Kohona. Both figures at the gate were thinking the same thing.

_If Naruto can't bring Sasuke back, who can?_

If the members of team Kakashi were worried about the two boys returning, and not their state of health, then their worries were needless. However, while Naruto was managing to drag Sasuke back, the Uchiha was unconscious and had several broken bones. Naruto himself was little better. He was a hold over in his left shoulder the size of a fist, and he had broken bones throughout his body. Kyuubi was healing his container, but he couldn't do much more then start to mend bones because demonic chakra is toxic to humans, and Naruto had used a great amount of it in the fight against the Uchiha.

So, it was rather late into the night when Naruto, beaten, bloody and dying, could finally see the gates of the great ninja village again. Naruto's vision was cutting in and out. Suddenly, Naruto stumbled and fell to the ground heavily, dropping Sasuke. He was tempted, oh so heavily tempted, to just lay there, and never move again. Then, Naruto remembered that he had promised Sakura he would bring Sasuke back, and that it was the promise of a lifetime.

Naruto was deeply in love with Sakura because she had been his first childhood friend. However, when she saw how crazy about her he was, their friendship almost completely disappeared. Naruto was still in love with Sakura, and he knew that if he couldn't make her happy by being her love partner, then he would just have to do whatever he could for her. A blind devotion is not good for anyone, far more so if is not returned. This was how it was with Naruto and Sakura, and then with Sakura to Sasuke. In both cases, the former would do anything for the latter, but the latter didn't give a damn.

So, it was with his admiration of Sakura that Naruto picked up Sasuke trudged slowly up the long path that would bring both boys home. Back at the front gates Kakashi and Sakura had seen the two boys and after Kakashi confirmed them with his sharigan, he dashed off to the fifth hokage's office to tell her the news. Sakura, meanwhile, ran off to meet the two boys. She met them only around half-a-mile outside the village, and Naruto grinned seeing the happy smile upon her features.

Yet, that happy smile turned to a look of pure hell and rage when she saw the two boys' injuries. The young girl sprinted to close the few feet of distance between them. Naruto thought she intended to thank him and help them both get back to the village, and he happily held out his free hand.

"YOU... YOU BASTARD!" yelled Sakura. "LOOK AT WHAT YOU DID TO SASUKE-KUN!"

Sakura was blinded by her rage and desperate to hurt whomever had hurt the one she loved. Naruto had only done it because she said so, but he was still responsible, and that meant he was the only one who could've ended Sakura's pain. Sakura drew her fist back and hit him across the face. In this weakened state Naruto could not stop himself from falling over. He understood that Sakura was in pain and the only way she saw to end the pain was to kill the one responsible for Sasuke's state. In other words the only way she could feel better was to hurt him.

Naruto sighed and took Sasuke's arm off of his shoulder and prepared to die. Sakura picked him up, and tossed him up in the air, then jumped up and hit him repeatedly. Naruto hit the ground and fell in a heap. He didn't stop any of the blows, or attempt to fight back. Sakura drew out a kunai and ran at Naruto, fully prepared to kill her teammate. Love makes people absolutely crazy. It makes them do stupid things, crazy things that they wouldn't ever normally consider. Normally, Sakura would never attempt to take her teammate's life, and normally, Naruto would never just lay down and wait for death.

However, they both loved someone, which made them crazy. Yet, Their love lives weren't the only ones involved in this struggle. There was one more. One shy, timid Hinata Hyuuga was very deeply in love with Naruto. Hinata had just seen Sakura pull out the kunai, and knew there was no way in hell she would stand by and let her Naruto-kun get killed by this bitch. Hinata quickly dashed to the scene, pushing chakra out of her feet to move at unparalleled speeds.

She saw Sakura running at her love with the kunai and knew she could never make it in time to stop Sakura's strike. Hinata was in love with Naruto. Love, of course, starts to turn into devotion, and Hinata was deeply devoted to Naruto. So, she acted as the crazy world of love demanded she act. She threw herself in front of the kunai to protect the man she loved. Sakura only saw Hinata for a split second before it happened, and nobody could've stopped it, and Hinata had her arms spread out of protect Naruto, so she couldn't attack. Sakura ran Hinata through the chest with the kunai.

Sakura saw what she had done and fell to the ground, holding her head and sobbing uncontrollablly. Naruto opened his eyes that had been closed waiting for death. He saw little Hinata standing there, bleeding from the kunai that was lodged in her chest. She fell backwards onto Naruto, and he held her weakly in his arms. Hinata looked at the man she loved and knew that she must tell him, before she left the world of the living.

"N-Naruto-kun... please... l-let me... speak," Hinata managed to say, and Naruto nodded slowly. "I... I al-always, lo- loved you... Naruto-kun."

Hinata, having said her piece lay her head back, prepared to die, but kept her eyes open, wanting Naruto to be the last thing she saw. Naruto struggled not to pass out from pain as he held Hinata in his arms. The news she had delivered to him shocked him. He was so desperate, so waiting, for affection that he took it from the woman dying in his arms.

"Hinata, why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "We could've been together for months, years maybe. I'm sorry I never looked at you Hinata Hyuuga. I'm so sorry."

Hinata looked at the man she loved, and knew that this was it. She was really going to die. Hinata looked at the man, and asked for the one thing she had always wanted from him, but had always been too afraid to ask of him. She loved him too much to die without it.

"Naruto... Naruto-kun," she begged. "Please... k-kiss me."

Naruto bent towards her to oblige, and their lips connected in a loving, first and final kiss between the two children. They broke apart, and Naruto held Hinata's head to his chest as her eyes misted over, and all life went out her. Naruto swore and sobbed calling out Hinata's name. Sakura by this time had composed herself enough to stand back up, though she was still sobbing. She grabbed another kunai and held it in her shaking hands as she spoke to Naruto with rage in her voice.

Rage. Rage that still was within her. It was no longer anything against Sasuke's attacker. It was mere hate for Naruto, because he had messed up again. He had lived.

"Y-y-you g-goddamn monster! Y-you... I'm... I'm g-going to kill y-you. Kyuubi."

Naruto felt a spark of shock. So, Sakura knew of the fox, but like all the others, she hated him for it. Naruto saw her move to kill him with the kunai, only to be stopped again. This time it was the hokage that had stopped her. The hokage was a woman called Tsunade. She was a gambler, drinker and old teammate of Orochimaru. All those qualities made her sound like a bad person, but in all honesty she was becoming a fair hokage. Naruto was the only reason she had even taken the job. His strength and determination showed her that the leaf ninja had something worth fighting for.

Sakura started in fright at the hokage. Tsunade processed super-human strength and when it came to people she cared about, she had a very short temper. So, basically, the fifth hokage was _seriously _not someone to piss off, and Sakura had found the best to do _just_ that.

"Naruto... I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. Hopefully, there you'll be appreciated. I'm sorry, little brother. I thought I could make life here liveable for you. I thought I could protect you. I see that I can't. Not when people like her can get to you. Don't forget, I care about you, I always have."

"Tsunade-baa-chan?"

"I'm sending you to Suna."

Naruto nodded with tears in his eyes. He didn't want to leave. Though he knew he had too, it didn't make the knowledge that he was leaving everything behind any better. He slowly stood up and handed Hinata's body to the hokage and told her that she had loved him. Tsunade nodded.

"Goodbye, Tsunade-baa-chan," said Naruto. "I'm gonna miss you probably most of all. Tell my friends bye for me."

She nodded again, and Naruto stumbled off to leave Kohona behind, for how long, he didn't know.


	2. Travel

Naruto: Sand Shinobi!

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 1: Travel

The sky had been pleasantly tainted with some blue streaks when Naruto had set out to find Suna. Now, it was pitch black, and the only way Naruto could see where he was going was by the sparse light the came from the moon. He opened his eyes to their fullest extent, trying to see. He had thought of summoning a toad to help him travel, as he had signed the toad summoning scroll with his other perverted teacher, Jiyria.

Jiyria was also known as the toad sage, or affectionately named perverted hermit by Naruto. The toad sage was one of the biggest perverts in the world. He wrote the make-out make-out paradise that Kakashi always read.

Naruto pulled his thoughts away from the pervert and considered if he had regained enough chakra to summon yet. The answer came up no, and his body still couldn't take very much demonic chakra, though Kyuubi had healed his broken bones and most of his gashes. Naruto was tired. Not just physically tired from battle, but mentally tired. He slipped on a tree branch and fell to the cold, cold forest floor.

Naruto didn't get up, and decided not to move. He listened to the sounds of the night. Several owls were hooting, and birds were chirping. Grasshoppers were making a small orchestra, and all the while Naruto just lay there, refusing to make his body move.

Finally, several hours later Naruto felt all his exhaustion wash over him, and he blacked out. In a darkness more complete then the forest he'd just endured, images flashed before his closed lids. He saw Sasuke swearing to kill him, and Sakura pulling out a kunai to kill him. He saw Hinata rushing in front of him to save his life. Hinata, the girl he'd always been too blind to see.

He could've actually shared a life with her. There was never anything wrong with her. She was a little shy maybe, but she was kind, caring and above all rather cute. But now she was dead. He could see her body, the kunai embedded in it. He could see the blood scattered across her face, and her happy smile that she wore after he kissed her. Even though he was not able to move his body, he could feel it. He felt the tears stream out of his closed eyes, as he wept for Hinata's death.

Back in Kohona, things were not going well for Sakura Haruno at all. All her friends shunned her. Choji and Tenten in particular had the intent to kill some time in the future. Neji wasn't allowed within 100 feet of Sakura, which was as much for his own good as her's. Not that Sakura had a ghost of a chance against a pissed off Neji, but after Neji killed her he would've been executed. This didn't make things easier for the Hyuuga prodigy. Lee had pulled a complete 180 where Sakura was concerned.

"I CAN'T STAND TO BE NEAR YOU! YOU ARE DESTROYING MY FLAMES OF YOUTH!" yelled Lee yet again as Sakura rounded a corner and he made eye contact with her.

Lee proceeded to flee the scene to run 500 laps around Kohona to 'rekindle his youthful flames'. Sakura, meanwhile, decided to go visit Sasuke today. At least, she was sure, at least he would thank her for banishing the demon. She began to walk through the dirt streets, and as she passed a small stand she noticed an intoxicating smell coming from inside it. She opened the flap and automatically jumped back as a girl with long brown hair was attempting, despite her father's best efforts, to choke the pink-haired girl to death.

"Ayame! Ayame! Calm down! You can't, do it, like that. You will, have, to wait." said the ramen stand owner.

His daughter Ayame was currently downright pissed off at Sakura, not that she was the only one. Sakura had not only driven away their best customer, but the boy who she had felt was her little brother. Now, if Sakura thought Ayame hated her, it was nothing compared to Tsunade's rage. She was having Sakura placed on full trail. If Sakura was found guilty, she would be executed. This really turned the little girl's head. She had always respected Tsunade. The villagers considered her a hero for making Kyuubi leave.

So why did all her friends hate her? Shikamaru, Choji and Ten-Ten refused to talk to her. Kiba would swear and call Sakura multiple names. Even Shino showed his version of hate by making his bugs inject poison into Sakura's morning meal. She had learned to examine anything and everything she ate. Sakura had thought Kakashi would've at least shown her some gratitude. However, Kakashi had refused to remain her sensei and had made a habit trapping her in several genjutsus.

Genjutsu is an illusion jutsu that effects the senses. He would often make Sakura see or hear things she feared with his sharigan. So, as Sakura reflected on her 'bad luck' with her friends, she found the hospital. She walked up to the front counter and the nurse gave her a happy smile.

"Oh," said the nurse. "The girl who got rid of Kyuubi! How may I help you?"

"Can you tell me what room Sasuke Uchiha is in, please?" asked Haruno.

The nurse's face grew a little more serious and she motioned for Sakura to lean forward. Sakura did as she asked and felt the nurses warm breath tickle her ear as the older woman told her some news that Sakura liked.

"Well, normally we don't let people in so soon after a fight, but for you, a great hero... Very well, he is in room B16."

Sakura thanked the woman, and moved quickly up the stairs to the second floor. She began walking down the hallway making the _click _sound of her shoes echo in a creepy fashion. She began to count the doorways on the left.

"B12, B14... Ah, here we go. B16." she said happily. "Hi there, Sasuke-kun!"

As the words left her lips a kunai embedded itself in the door near her neck. She gave a small cry of surprise, and Sasuke leapt out of bed in a rage. His completed sharigan was activated, and he strode towards Sakura, killer intent rolling off him.

"Sakura! You mother fucking bitch!"

Sasuke grabbed her around the neck and slammed her into the door. Sakura gasped and struggled to breathe. Her vision was slowly going black.

"You made my brother leave the village! I loved him! He was my brother, you cheap whore!"

Now the language Sasuke was using is never truly appropriate, but, Sasuke was currently very, very pissed off, and quite frankly, he didn't give a damn about proper right now. He dropped Sakura long enough so that she could breathe properly. Then he picked her back and slammed her into the door again.

"When that cursed seal had control of my mind, I didn't think right. I was wrong then. But now, Jiyria has re-sealed it. I see that I was wrong, but _you Sakura, _you never got it! I loved Naruto more then I've ever loved anyone, and you drove him away! You took all I had left here! You took that all away from me! NOW I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Sasuke dropped Sakura and charged up a chidori. He drew a bunch of chakra into his palm. It was so strong that it was visible. Sasuke's mind wasn't under the cursed seal anymore, but he was being effected by an emotion that is almost as powerful, and lurks in the shadow of love. Rage. Rage, hate, bitterness, scorn. Sasuke knew them all well, and the little Haruno girl was making him feel every one of them.

Sasuke drew his arm back then thrust it forward, intending to kill. Suddenly, an arm of sand swung out of nowhere and halted Sasuke's arm cold.

"Uchiha." said Gaara of the desert.

Gaara. His last name is sparely known by people, but just about everything else on him is known by all. He has one brother and one sister. Kankouro and Temari. Kankouro is a puppet master who wears make up on his face and Temari is a sandy blonde-haired woman who uses her fan to attack her foes. Gaara has red hair and holds a demon just as Naruto does. His isn't Kyuubi, but the one tailed-racoon. Also, instead of whisker marks, Gaara sports two circles around his eyes.

Gaara carries a gourd of sand around with him at all times and the sand will rush to protect him at all costs if he is threatened. He can call upon more sand to attack foes in waves if he needs it. If sand was an affinity, Gaara would've created it. Naruto had once fought Gaara and managed to barely best him, and it was Naruto who taught Gaara to love people. It was Naruto who made Gaara truly strong. Gaara consider Naruto like a close brother and was willing to do anything for him, just as Sasuke was.

"Gaara." replied Sauske. "Why did you stop me?! Sakura just--"

"I know." responded Gaara in his quiet commanding tone. "I want to made her swallow hill-fulls of sand, so she would blow up from the inside, but I will let Naruto deal with her."

"So... Naruto's... ok?" asked Sasuke letting his chidori die down. "He's still alive? Please, tell me you aren't making a cruel joke here."

"I'm not crazy or lying. He is being carried to Suna right now. I would've brought him myself, but he begged me to make sure you were taking things ok. It seems you aren't. This news will surely sadden my friend."

"BRING HIM BACK! I... care about him... like a brother. Damn it all. I love him like my family, and he needs to stay here, so he can become hokage. It's his dream."

Gaara let out a sigh. He didn't care to explain things to the Uchiha, and had Naruto not cared for him, Gaara wouldn't have even said this much. However, Naruto did care for Sasuke, so Gaara spoke, still in his slow dull tone.

"Naruto understands that it isn't safe for him to be here right now. He does intend to return one day, but he understands that it can't be right now."

"So when is coming back?" asked Sasuke angrily. "When he's sixteen?!"

"...No," said Gaara. "I think sixteen would be much too soon to return to people like her."

At the word 'her' Sakura turned and scowled at Gaara. Then, she felt the sand wrap around her body, and start to squeeze. It was constricting her blood, damaging veins. Then, Gaara dropped her to the hospital floor and she fled. Gaara nodded to Sasuke and turned around leaving the hospital to exit Kohona.

Meanwhile, many leagues away, Naruto was gliding along on a giant fan alongside Temari. Kankouro was back in Suna attending to his puppets. Temari had merely chosen to come with Gaara to Kohona because she was bored and had nothing else to. Temari looked at Naruto and saw all the rips and holes in his clothing and thought of what strength he must've had to go head-to-head with Sasuke after he had become even stronger. Not to mention that he had damn near beaten Gaara.

She lean forward and shook him to see if he was awake yet. No luck. Naruto remained as blank as though he was dead. This idea actually occurred to her several times already, but she didn't want to be checking him for breathing when he finally woke up.

_Yet, he has been out a very long time_.

Temari leaned forward slightly and put her ear to his mouth. She felt his warm breathe go into her ear and jumped back slightly surprise.

_But it did sort of feel good._ _Wait! What did I just think? Man, I need to go on a real mission sometime, I'm starting to lose it. I mean, just because I've got a strong, remotely attractive guy next to me I don't need to-- wait! What did-- DAMN IT. _Temari thought.

Temari shook her head slightly to put him out of her head for now and focused on flying. Naruto fidgeted. Inside his head he was reliving terrible things.

_"I have a feeling I'm not going to lose." said Sauske._

_His skin had been changed to a demonic gray or brown color, Naruto couldn't tell. His normal black hair had changed into a long spiky purple, and a cross shaped seal was on his nose. He now sported to leathery wings, and was making hand signs for a chidori. Then, Naruto formed a resangan of Kyuubi's chakra, and leapt at Sauske. Sauske took off using his wings to keep level and the chidori and resangan collided. Naruto felt Sauske's chakra empowered fist hit him in the chest while he used his index finger to make a long scratch across Sauske's forehead protector._

_Naruto fell down and so did Sauske. Both boys were out of their own chakra. Sasuke's cursed seal had broken and Naruto had taken his limit of demonic chakra. Naruto's eyes were barely open and he saw Sauske kneeling over him. He thought of his promise to Sakura and he found the strength he need in his body to move. He grabbed Sauske by his shirt and punched him. Sasuke stumbled and then tried to attack Naruto._

_The blonde's foot hit him in the face faster then Sasuke could dodge it. _Sasuke_ fell and couldn't move another inch. Naruto went over to him and pulled his friend's arm over his shoulder. Then, he began to wearily head home._


	3. The Village Hidden in the Sand

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 2:

The Village Hidden in the Sand

Naruto sat up quickly and the clutched at his gut. He had been talking with Kyuubi, and he was still in pain from maintaining communication. He looked around and saw Temari staring at him. He looked back at her, slightly surprised to see her again.

"Hey," said Naruto. "What are you doing here? Temari, right?"

Temari was slightly shocked Naruto remembered her.

"Well... Gaara heard about your... um... issue with the leaf. He really wanted to help you so--"

"I know that. I was talking to him. What I meant is why did you come along?"

"What?" asked Temari. "You don't want a girl as beautiful as me here?"

"What?!" Naruto asked, flustered now, thinking she would hit him. "No! No! That's not it at all! I mean your very pretty. No! I mean I wasn't trying to-- I mean, um... Sorry."

Temari giggled. She couldn't really help it. Naruto was so cute that it was actually funny.

"It's ok, I'm not going to hit you or anything."

"Sorry," Naruto said. "I am just so used to the way Sakura would act. She used to hit me for everything."

Naruto smiled lightly to laugh a little at his own story. Temari smiled, then, she turned back to focus on flying her fan. Without looking back she tossed Naruto a card. Naruto looked at her in a bit of confusion. Temari sighed before explaining.

"It's an affinity card. If it splits then it's wind, burns then it's fire, crumbles then it's rock, if it's wet then it's water and if it blows up then it's lightning. Just add some of your chakra to the card. You know come to think of it here's another and add some fox chakra."

Naruto added some of his chakra to the card, the card split, then started to burn then, as if it were an exploding tag, it blew up. Naruto stared in some disbelief. Two affinities was rare, but to have three natural affinities? That wasn't usual. Now, he could use other moves even if he didn't have that affinity, such as Sauske being a fire affinity but using chidori, a lightning move, but having the affinity made it a lot easier.

"Th-three?!" asked Temari. "Can that be right?"

"Yeah, I'm going to be the best ninja ever so it makes sense that I would have more then two. I can use more cool moves now."

Temari sighed and Naruto used some of Kyuubi's chakra to push it into the card. It got damp then crumbled away.

_Earth and water Kyuubi? _Naruto asked.

**What? I don't actually belong to the fire nation, or any nation for that matter. In fact kit, most demons do have the earth and water affinities because we love everything about this world the way it is. It is made up of earth and water.**

Naruto giggled a little then said, "So, Fire, Lightning and Wind from me. Water and Earth from Kyuubi. That's all five isn't it?"

Temari, unable to speak just nodded dimly. Naruto nodded, using the same stance Jiyria often did when he was talking with the tone of an all knowing monk. It did make sense, that was the reason he soaked up jutsu like a sponge. Naruto took a moment the wonder how hard it would've been to learn resangan if he didn't have wind affinity. It wasn't a pretty sight.

"Hey you ok?" Naruto asked Temari.

"Y-Yeah. Just a little stunned is all. All five affinities... Wow kid you gotta have some power."

"You bet. I already said it; I'm gonna be the best Ninja ever!"

Temari smiled. She thought this kid might just have a shot at become one damn good ninja. Naruto leapt down off the fan. Temari called to him, but he just raced alongside her fan. He wasn't just full of energy but of life itself. He was so strong and grown, yet at the same time he was a little kid. Temari caught herself staring at him too long and turned her attention back to flying. Naruto began working on moving fast enough to catch a falling kunai. He tossed another up in air and ran quickly between trees to catch it, but it fell through his outstretched arms.

"What on earth are you doing?" asked Temari.

"It's fun try it." said Naruto.

Temari sighed. She took a kunai out of her pouch and tossed it up in the air then she leapt off her fan and caught it. She reached behind her and looked at him with an eyebrow raised. Naruto looked her in the eye for a long time. The deep blue cerulean eyes held a certain air of wonder and love to Temari. She snapped out of her daydreams.

"When will that be useful?" she asked.

"Does everything have to be useful to you?"

"Why else is it there?" she asked him.

"You can't base life off of that... Like look at when I fought Sauske. I could've summoned Gamabunta at any time to squash that guy flat. Yet I didn't, but I would say summoning is far from useless. You see?"

"It was useless as far as that battle was concerned."

"Man you are impossible."

Temari shook her head slightly and Naruto performed four hand seals then slammed his palm into the ground. The biggest toad ever came out of the spot on the ground. Naruto happily jumped on the large toads head, and pulled Temari up.

"Eh?" asked the huge toad. "What do you want, kid?"

"Could give me and her a lift to Suna chief toad?"

Gamabunta, the boss toad summon, took a long pull on his pipe, considering it. Then he blew out a large amount of smoke over the forest and closed his eyes, as though enjoying himself on a relaxing trip. Naruto waited with a large smile on his face.

"Fine kid, but you owe me a good fight next time you summon me."

"Ok, you got it!"

Naruto enthusiastically held up two fingers in the 'peace' sign and Gamabunta leapt off. Temari quickly clutched at the large toads clothing to try and not fall off. Naruto, meanwhile, sat atop Gamabunta just like a horse. Temari couldn't help notice that he looked so... unshakable. He'd just been through a hell that most never had to experience, and yet he was still a ray of sunshine. He'd only been out of it for a day, and he was happy again. She knew what kind of a hell he'd had for a childhood, becuase he was just like Gaara. Temari admired Naruto deeply for changing her brother.

Now, what she felt for him wasn't love by a long shot. Nevertheless, Naruto was a physically and emotionally strong person, not to mention Temari found him rather cute. So, overall it was quite natural for Temari to admire Naruto in the same way girls always have and always will admire guys. Naruto turned back to her and held out his hand. She grabbed it and he pulled her up on top of the toad head with him.

"It's a lot easier to ride up here, trust me."

"Thanks." said Temari.

Naruto had been right. Temari had found it much easier to stay on the large toad as it soared quickly mile by mile. Suddenly, Gamabunta leapt up much higher then usual to travel farther and Temari screamed and clutched Naruto's arm. Naruto laughed happily as Temari shut her eyes tightly not daring to open then again. Finally, as the sun had began to set over the hills, Gamabunta stopped in front of the sand village. Naruto got off and stop without warning. Temari scowled slightly.

"Hey," she started. "What are you doing?"

"That," said Naruto. "Is amazing."

He was point to the sunset that was disappearing into the waves of sand. It was a sight to behold, indeed. The last pink rays of the yellow sphere licked the dunes that were normally so unappealing. Naruto turned towards Temari,, and she saw the pure amazement in his eyes.

"Is it always like that?" he asked.

"What? The sunset? Yeah, just about."

"Wow..."

"Is it really that impressive to you?" Temari asked.

Naruto nodded. He thought that this was a marvel to behold. Now, Naruto wasn't one to sit admire anything that wasn't a jutsu scroll or ramen for more then twenty seconds, but the golden orb had him spell-bound. Naruto finally managed to turn away from the sight and looked at Temari.

"Well, we've got a while, so I'm gonna go train. You wanna spar with me?"

Temari shook her head.

"No, I'm busy now, I've got to talk to the kazekage about you, find you a place to stay, try and get you installed as sand shinobi, find you a team to get on and then put you in our official documents. Sorry Naruto, I'm booked, can't practice with you today."

"Oh," said Naruto. "Sorry I didn't mean to cause you so much trouble. If you want I can--"

"No," she said again. "For now anyway, you are a guest in Suna, and I won't have you struggling to try and get installed here. So, go on and train and come find me when Gaara gets here. For your sake Naruto, I had better not here that you spent the _whole _time looking for a ramen stand."

"Ok! Ok! See you."

With that Naruto leapt off into the desert sand to practice a few of his moves and work on his chakra control. He had gotten much better but he still needed a lot of work. So, after two hours of that, he tried increasing his speed and then started meditation to focus his power and mind.

Back in Kohona, Sakura sat in her room. She was curled up in a little ball with her frail arms wrapped around her legs. She had been crying for a good three hours and was rocking slightly back and fourth. She couldn't believe what she'd done to Naruto. He would've done anything for her. He would've, and nearly had several times, died protecting her. All she ever did was hit him and call him annoying.

"Naruto... I'm so sorry. If you ever do come back I promise, I will make things up to you. I'll do anything, just p-please forgive me. Please l-love me again... Naruto."

Sakura sobbed herself to sleep as the sun disappeared behind the distant hills.

Gaara sat staring coldly at the Uchiha. Sasuke stood just as purposefully, almost respectfully.

"No." said Gaara.

"I'm not asking you," Sasuke warned. "Naruto is my brother. I'm his brother just as much as you are. I deserve this."

"Your risking too much, and I don't know if he even wants to see you right now."

Sauske growled angrily at these words. Almost out of insist and instinct Sasuke began forming hand signs for chidori. Gaara called out to him and Sasuke stopped for a moment, shook his head then dropped his hands to his sides. Gaara held his chin for a while considering.

"Please," Sasuke said. "I'll do anything to go. I'll become a sand-nin, I'll renounce the Uchiha clan, I'll become your family's personal bodyguard. Just--"

"I don't like pleading," said Gaara as Sasuke's face fell. "However... I think I will let you come. We leave tomorrow at the crack of dawn... on second thought, we leave _after _Haruno's trial."

Sasuke grinned.

"I think that is a good idea, Gaara."

Naruto awoke suddenly and saw the sun peaking over the distant hills. He must've used up all of his chakra and collapsed. He could've taken some of Kyuubi's chakra, but he didn't want to use it until he had to. If he took his fill of demon chakra then he couldn't use anymore in a really hard fight. He stood up again and felt like his chakra system was as good as new. Kyuubi had made his chakra generation system nearly ten times quicker then it would've been. That was part of the reason his chakra supply was so large.

Naruto got up and made ten shadow clones. Then he made then all attack him at once.

In Kohona, Gaara rose up. He remembered that it was because of Naruto and his sannin teacher that he could sleep now. He owed Naruto so much. Sasuke was waiting outside Gaara's hotel room. The Uchiha had his bag packed and all his Ninja gear was ready.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked Gaara.

"Yes," said Sasuke. "It's only because of Naruto that I even came back. I will gladly follow him to Suna."


	4. The Trail of Haruno Sakura

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 3:

The Trial of Haruno Sakura

Sakura Haruno woke up in the morning with a sudden jerk. Her pink hair was disheveled, and her clothing was all creased up. She stood up, and rubbed her already irritated eyes. Then, she heard a knock on her door. She leapt up, and fell over on her woozy legs. She steeled herself, and wearily stood up. She shuffled over to the door so she could open it. After it slid fully open she could see the masked members of the ANBU, the top group of ninja, standing at her door. She gave out a small shriek.

"Um... Hello... Can I help you?" asked Sakura.

"Your trial is going to begin in twenty minutes, miss Haruno." said the closest ANBU.

Sakura nodded and asked the members to wait for about ten minutes, and ran upstairs to change quickly. She threw off her clothes to replace it with a black dress. It was slightly formal, but she didn't have time to ponder it. She adjusted her headband on the top of her head then ran back downstairs. The ANBU hadn't moved, and she walked in the middle of their circle formation. Sakura felt as though her walk was that of a death march. She and the ANBU marched grimily through the streets.

Dirt rose up in small patches when someone's foot hit the ground. It began to swirl up like a tiny tornado. The wind that swirled through Kohana lifted the ends of the ANBU robes and Sakura's dress. Sakura glanced around at all the faces of the shinobi around her. Every single one she saw seemed to wish her an extremely slow and painful death. Then, one small genin spoke up.

"She got rid of Naruto! She put us all in danger!"

"Yeah," joined in others. "He was our biggest defender!"

"Leaf hater!"

"Your even more of a traitor then that Uchiha kid!"

"Hell she's more of a traitor then Orochimaru. He may've contained Kyuubi, but he was our strongest line of defense. It was nice to have him as a weapon!"

"SILENCE!" called a loud voice.

Everyone turned to see Sasuke Uchiha standing atop a house, next to Gaara of the desert. Sasuke spoke again.

"You all think that Naruto Uzamaki was just some tool? He was just some damn toy for you?! You all treated him like a dog! You beat him, cursed him and tried to kill him. If he was lucky you let him have the day in peace. You bastards! Well I'll tell you something about him! You all thought I was so great? You think I or Neji even came close to Naruto?! He was a hell of a lot better then me. Maybe we were about equal in skill. However, when it comes to having any honor or decency, Naurto Uzamaki had me beat by a mile."

Sasuke spoke with strength and a leading ability.

"You could ask Neji and he'll still say it. Sometimes Naruto has better eyes then either mine or his. Now, all you bastards did was make him curse this place. You would think after everything Naruto ever did for this place he would get at least a thank you, but no. You bastards just continue to hit him and plow it all in with the rest of the shit, and... and damn it all he was a brother to me! I cared about him. He freed me from Orochimaru! You all want him to have hold of the sharigan? You bastards!"

Gaara held a hand up to quiet Sasuke. Then the demon container spoke.

"Naruto Uzamaki... Durning the chuunin exams I fought against Sasuke Uchiha who made me taste first blood. Then, my demon made me go on a rampage. You all see, I'm even worse then Naruto... I couldn't control my demon. I let it out and gave it control of my body. After I went crazy, it wasn't Uchiha who could stop me. He and Haruno down there tried and failed terribly. It was Naruto who managed to defeat me because he wanted to defend Haruno. Again she should've thanked him on bended knee."

Gaara's voice was cool, dark and powerful.

"Next time I hear of my friend who taught me the meaning of friendship, It was that he was chasing Uchiha to save him from Orochimaru. I fought alongside Rock Lee, so I could hopefully make him forgive me for my shameful actions of before. Then I hear that Naruto succeeded in bring Uchiha back. He only really went because Haruno asked and begged him to. Now, when Naruto finally brought him back, did a single person say 'thank you' or congratulate him? Not a damn one. You should all feel shame for what you have done."

The villagers' mostly now bore confused, angry or guilty faces.

Sakura let a stream of tears fall from her own eyelids, and she cried out Naruto's name time and time again. Sasuke merely stared at her in pure disgust. An ANBU member grabbed her shoulder and pulled her around. She was still sobbing desperatly into her fists as she continued her terrible wake of shame.

Sakura stubbled through the doors with Kohona symbol on them. The room was pure black, both walls and floor. The ceiling was black with red seals running through it. Torches lit the room. Sakura walked scared, and sat in a chair. Tsunade sat in the crowd. The council looked at her and several shinobi came in. They were all jonin or chunnin. Sakura knew they were for protection; if she tried to escape they would kill her in a second. Sakura lifted her head, tears streaming from her eyes.

"Attention," called an old member of the council. "The trial of Haruno Sakura is now in session. Miss Haruno, you understand that you are being charged with the crimes of attempted murder of not only a fellow shinobi, but indeed your own classmate and teammate, Uzamaki Naruto, and that you are charged with the unintental murder of Hyuuga Hinata?"

Sakura felt yet more tears begging to burst free, but she held them back.

"Yes, I do."

"And you understand that if you are found guilty that your punishment is death, no matter the situation?"

"I do." said Sakura.

"Please place your hand on your heart," he instructed and she did so. "Do you swear on your honor as a ninja to tell the truth in this trail?"

Sakura nodded.

"I do." she said.

"Please sit then."

Sakura sat in the hard wooden chair. She felt as though that chair held her fate in it's hands. It was like her entire existence depended on that chair. The tears threatened to break out again, and Sakura angrily held them back. This didn't go unnoticed by the council.

"Haruno Sakura, is it true that you were standing at the gates of Kohona two days ago?"

"Yes."

"And what were you doing there?"

Sakura gulped. Here was the part where she was sure that they would start to say she was a witch. She let the tears she'd been holding back so defiantly fall and slide down her cheeks. Then, she opened her eyes and felt the slight pain from crying too much. Her lips trembled from fear. She felt her heartbeat rise uncomfortably. She began to feel as if she were burning up. She hastily tried to loosen her collar before finding that she wasn't wearing her normal attire. Why did she feel as though she was being choked to death then? It felt as though a noose was around her neck.

She saw the council member's lips moving but couldn't hear what he was saying. All she could her was the steady _thump, thump, thump _of her own beating heart, and her own breathing. Her heartbeat rose still faster, and she felt as thought she would faint. She began to feel the world spinning and everything seemed to slow down to a terribly slow pace. Sakura felt her own head swimming slightly and placed her heads on her head to steady it and asked the man to repeat his question.

"I asked you what you were doing at the gate at about three A.M. in the morning miss Haruno."

"Oh," she said. "Sorry, I couldn't hear you. I was waiting for Naruto to bring back Sasuke-kun."

"And I trust you know why Uchiha Sasuke left?" asked the man.

"Yes, to join Orochimaru."

"Correct. Now Uzamaki Naruto returned with Uchiha Sasuke to the front gates, did he not?"

Sakura gulped again. She could now at least hear the man. She had felt her heartbeat go down a little. However, every time her heart beat it sent a bad wave of pain to her brain. She could feel the beatings like pounding inside her temples.

"Yes, he did sir."

"And what did you do?" asked the man.

"I... I attacked him for hurting Sasuke..."

"Tell me... miss Haruno, what do you feel as far as your attraction towards mr. Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked blushing. "I... I love... I don't know."

"Pardon?" asked the man.

"I said that I don't know, sir. I thought I loved Sasuke, but he's not who I thought he was."

"And, miss Haruno, in all due respects what man would you _love_?"

"Well," said Sakura. "He has to be strong, very strong, able to love and fight for the right reasons."

"You deny Sasuke Uchiha is these traits? Just as a clarity."

"I do." Sakura said.

She was blushing harder for a different reason. She was blushing because she knew one ninja she had just described. It was true Sasuke was very strong, but he didn't really love any girl, and he had left just for power, though sometimes he fought for the right reason... No, she was blushing because the ninja she had just described was Naruto. Naruto had, at times, shown a strength that even Sasuke didn't possess. Naruto was able to love her to a fault. Plus, Naruto fought to defend the people he loved. What better reason could there be than that?

_Naruto, _Sakura thought. _Was I that blind? That you were the man I loved all along? I could've taken you at any time! I used to hit and hurt you all the time, when in reality, it was all my fault I'm not happy. Naruto, I'm so sorry for everything._

"So, you attacked Uzamaki Naruto and killed Hyuuga Hinata for a man you didn't even love?"

"...I...I...I...yes."

"I see," said the man. "In that case. HARUNO SAKURA YOU ARE TO BE EXECUTED IMMEDIATELY!"

The crowd cheered. However, one voice rose above all the others and made them quiet.

"NO! SILENCE!"

Everyone quieted and looked at the man who dared speak out against the decision of this trail.

"And just who are you?" asked the council member.

"Who am I?" asked the figure.

He wore a brown cloak with hood that covered his features rather well. Nevertheless a feeling of power and strength radiated from this man. Sakura stood up to get a good look at this man who may just have saved her life. She stared in utter shock as he removed his hood.

"I am Uzamaki, Naruto!"

Sasuke and Gaara both whipped around in a hurry to look at their friend.

"Naruto!" said Sasuke. "I thought you weren't coming back for a long time."

"I'm not staying for long Sasuke. Just long enough to sort this out."

Naruto slowly walked down the set of stone stairs. Sakura noticed he had changed only slightly. He didn't wear orange clothes anymore, but a tan jumpsuit that properly covered his wrists and and ankles. He wore black shinobi sandals and wore a sand headband. However, the yellow hair, blue eyes and whisker marks made everyone sure it was the container of Kyuubi.

"Hello... Sakura-_chan_." said Naruto, spitting the last suffix as though venomously. "I came here today to discuss her punishment. I am the one most directly effected by this. I deserve the say on that I think. I don't want you to kill Sakura Haruno," he said and Sakura breathed of relief. "Because I want that pleasure myself!"

Sakura gasped.

"N-Naruto! You can't mean that!"

"I do, Tsunade-sama."

"All agreed," called the council member. Every one of the council raised their hands. "Very well, Sakura Haruno. You will resume your ninja duties until Uzamaki Naruto decides how to deal with you! Court is adjourned."

Sauske and Gaara grinned, even though it was unusual for them, and ran up to the blonde.


	5. Moving In

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 4: Moving in

Gaara reached Naruto and looked him up and down, then nodded approvingly.

"I see Temari dragged you shopping with her." Gaara commented. "It did you well. I bet she was rather pleased."

"Yeah!" said Naruto. "She dragged me up there because I was tired from training. Then, I tried on outfits for like... forever. Your sister is very insistent on finding the right outfit you know that? You better hope Kankuro doesn't have a moment of weakness... Then again she might not work with people like him. That's possible..."

"What do you mean, 'like him'?" asked Gaara.

"Well," said Naruto. "I think your brother kinda... um... is _that _way. If you know what I'm saying."

Gaara just stared at Naruto. I could not have been any clearer that Gaara didn't understand what being gay was. Even if he did, he would've had a great amount of difficulty accepting Kankuro's homosexuality. Naruto sighed, resigned to an explication.

"Well... Kankuro's kinda into... girly stuff."

"He is?" asked Gaara.

"Gaara, he wears make-up and plays with dolls..." said Naruto.

Gaara seemed to spend the rest of the time inside of Kohona considering this. Sasuke meanwhile questioned Naruto about how he got there. Naruto held up a finger and his trademark grin flashed for a moment on his face. Then he answered simply.

"Wind jutsu. Simple when you think about it. I 'asked for' Temari's D-ranked jutsu wind scrolls and actually blew myself to Kohona. It uses some chakra but it's easier then resengan or summoning."

Sasuke stared at Naruto. Not only would that work, but it was also a small stroke of genius. Naruto smirked, and requested that Sasuke and Gaara hold onto him. They did as he asked and he preformed three hands signs before a blast of wind sent them flying into the air. When they landed Naruto performed the move over and over again until they reached Suna.

Sakura sank to the ground with tears in her eyes. She rolled around on the ground for a while, refusing to be helped up or comforted. She had made such a big mistake, and Naruto would never forgive her for it. He intended to kill her for it.

The knowledge that someone who used to love you hates you isn't an easy thing to bear. With this case however, it was far worse. For one thing, Naruto never just loved Sakura, he obsessed over her, and now Naruto didn't just hate Sakura, he downright damned her to hell. She held her head trying to make thoughts of despair stop floating around in her head. She wanted it to end, to faint, to die. Then, she remembered that she couldn't die, because the man who had marked her death as his wouldn't be coming for her for a long time.

Meanwhile, in Suna, Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke all fell quickly from the sky to the ground.

"What in the hell happened?" asked Sasuke.

"Well you know how the jutsu works. We need to go somewhere, so we went a little too high. It'll take a little getting used to."

Sasuke shook his head. Gaara stood and began walking quietly towards the large town. Naruto smiled at Sasuke and they all went forward together. When they reached the house Naruto was staying in they saw Temari waiting there. When a person is feeling a powerful emotion, it sometimes gives off an aura. If it is love or caring, someone generally has a happy aura around him or her. If they are depressed, hanging out with them is bound to make the depression spread. If one person feels bloodlust, then someone else is bound to feel a tremor or terror.

The feeling that radiated from Temari was one of being extremely pissed off, and yet worry mixed with it.

"Where the HELL have you been?!" she asked.

"Whoops..." said Naruto. "Listen, Temari I--"

"I said that you could go back out to _try _your new jutsu, not to disappear to Kohona in the middle of shopping with me! With my scrolls no less! You know what happened when I tried to find the weapon that would work for you? I had to stand in line forever! After that I couldn't even decide, I thought maybe you'd come back, but apparently what I've been doing for you doesn't matter a damn!"

"HEY!" said Naruto angrily. "I went and brought your brother back! I was only gone for like... twenty minutes at the most. I only just arrived at the end of the trail."

"Twenty-two!"

"Oh shut up! Woman!"

"Oh what was that?" asked Temari. "Some kind of sexist comment?!"

"NO!" shouted Naruto back. "What I meant is that--"

"Oh what? Now you don't even think I'm like a real woman?!"

By this point of the argument Temari had stood up and was right up in Naruto's face. She jabbed him in the chest, and as soon as she finished her question she did something that shocked everyone but herself present. She leaned forward, grabbed the front of his jumpsuit and kissed him. They broke apart and Naruto's world spun for a moment before he fainted.

"Temari?" asked Gaara. "What did you do that for?"

"To show him that I am indeed a woman!"

"So you are," said Sasuke. "And this had nothing to do with the fact that you have feelings for him?"

Temari smirked.

"Well... maybe a little, he is cute."

Gaara sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. Sasuke shook his head again and pulled Naruto up to help him into the bedroom. The moon shone brightly through the window in Naruto's bedroom. Sasuke noticed a small board with a small group of pictures on it. Sasuke himself was on there, Gaara and Temari were there, Tsunade was there, Jiyria, Kakashi and Iruka were all there, the ramen stand father and daughter were there, Konahamaru and his squad were there and Hinata was there. That was it. Above it read the words, "My family". Sasuke felt touched at this scene.

It was sad truly. He didn't have many people. He just had a short group of people who he hung onto like hell. Sasuke walked out into the main room where Gaara was sitting own the couch, leaving Temari in her own world. He coughed to get their attention.

"Well... I think I'm going to go find where I'll be staying, Gaara care to come with me?"

Gaara picked up on the hint and followed Sasuke outside. Sasuke's idea, which Gaara liked, was that Temari would be alone with Naruto when he woke up. The reasons for this were few, but powerful. First and foremost, it would at least stop many awkward situations. It would also give them the chance to talk this issue out and if things went the right way Naruto could get out of his slump over Hinata. So, there was nothing to do except wait for fate to decide what was going to happen.

Meanwhile back at his temporary house, Naruto was stirring. Temari was sitting calmly in a chair when Naruto walked into the room. Immediately she felt her heartbeat increased dramatically. Naruto walked over and sat down next to her.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey," said Temari. "What's up?"

"Um... Listen Temari, what happened earlier... Did you... I mean, did it... Why did you... I mean--"

Temari cut him off by holding a finger to his lips. She made sure he was done trying to talk before she started.

"Just answer me," she said. "Did you like it?"

Naruto lowered his head slightly and nodded.

"Do you care about me, _like that_?" she asked.

"I don't really know… I haven't really thought of going after anyone other after Sakura, I don't want to be hurt like that again."

What Naruto was saying was true. Sakura had been his first love. He had not only been rejected time upon time, but he had an assassination attempt on his life by that girl. Needless to say he was rather afraid to love someone again so soon. He was rather afraid he would be hurt again. Having your heart ripped out and trampled on literally would, at times, be more pleasant then having it broken by a failed love. There is an old phrase that says, "It is better to have love and have lost then to have never loved at all." and that phrase is utter bullshit.

The pain one feels after being hurt by one's own love is a pain so intense that it drives a lot of people utterly insane. Naruto felt that he would just be hurt if he ended up getting in that situation. Temari looked at him, hurt and embarrassed.

"Did it mean anything to you?" he asked.

"S-sorry?"

"Did... did that kiss mean anything to you, or was it just a whim?" he asked her again.

"It... I um... I really care about you. I mean- if I were ever to get with a guy it would've been you."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because you taught my brother to love again. You're very strong Naruto. Not just physically or in the way of your jutsu, but emotionally you took a world full of hell. I'm Gaara's sister so I know his past. When he told me that you held the nine-tails, I was shocked you could still care for anyone. When you defended that... that..."

"Bitch." supplied Naruto helpfully.

"Bitch, thank you, I saw you held a power unrivaled by anyone else. Yet, when you did slowly crawl towards Gaara, you didn't mean to kill him, even though you were stronger. You have strength, wisdom and power. Naruto your the only person I--"

"Stop," he said. "Temari I can't listen to it. I can't do this again. If we got together, something would happen and we would be apart and I can't handle that pain... I was alone once. People would lie to me, cheat me and then try and kill me. I can't do that all over again."

Temari walked up to Naruto. She kneeled down so that, when he'd sunk down on the chair, they were eye level. She reached up and quickly slapped him across the face, hard. She was glaring at him with and intensity rarely seen in even the Shinobi world.

"Don't you dare tell me that you think I would leave you. And you sure as hell better not try and tell me who I can or can't love."

Temari leaned forward and kissed him again. Naruto stiffened and didn't move. It wasn't the same as with Hinata. This made Naruto slightly glad. Part of his fear was that he was using Temari just to replace Hinata. He knew that wasn't the case. Yes, part of him would always love Hinata, but that didn't mean he couldn't love Temari. She loved him and he was willing to grow and love her. Naruto considered it. He already considered her a close friend, what was the harm in trying to love her? It would probably end up that way if he spent time with her. Plus, she was a really lovely woman who had a good heart.

Then Temari forced her tongue into his mouth and all thought was driven out of his head. Naruto closed his eyes as his head was in the clouds. She wrapped her arms around his head, running her hands through his hair and she tasted all of his tongue with hers. She suddenly stuck her tongue deep down his mouth and he nearly fainted again. Temari was mostly accepting that she really did love Naruto, and Naruto was at the point where he wanted anyone, anything to hold onto, and if he was honest with himself, Temari was a wonderful woman.

Temari broke the kiss and took several deep breaths. Naruto sat there with his head bobbing slightly still in an complete daze. Temari blushed a little at what she had done and she sat down waiting for his response. When Naruto's body was under his control again, he shook himself slightly and then spoke to Temari.

"So... so you do want to be with me?" he asked.

Temari nodded.

"Very much; if can't be you then it can't be anybody."

Naruto gulped a little. He felt almost like he was betraying Hinata. It scared him. He felt this might make him, less human. More demonic if he went with what he wanted to do and go with Temari. He didn't want to reject Temari, but he didn't want to betray Hinata.

"Even though I'm the Kyuubi?"

"Naruto-kun," she said, affectionately adding the suffix. "I don't care about what you have sealed inside you. I love you, not Kyuubi."

Naruto sighed, partly in relief, partly in fear.

"Well then I guess... I'll be with you Temari."

"Temari what, Naruto-kun?" she asked.

"Temari-chan." he said laughing a little.

Naruto relaxed and thought that maybe, just maybe, he was going to be allowed to be happy. She laid her head on his shoulder.


	6. Down to Some Real Training

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 5:

Down to Some Real Training

Temari leaned up to Naruto and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Naruto turned to her and the faint moonlight that streamed through the window fell upon her skin making her a creature of beauty and wonder. Naruto reached forward and stroked her cheek lightly with his hand. She closed her eyes and wrapped her hands around his. She sighed softly in utter happiness. Outside Sasuke and Gaara were still talking about the situation that had risen upon them all now.

"Look, we knew what would probably happen." said Sasuke.

"Yes," Gaara responded. "But I didn't really think I'd have to accept it."

"Well," Sasuke said. "It's not really a bad thing! They're both happy aren't they?"

"Yes, I just don't want to see either of them hurt..."

"Don't worry so much," said Sasuke. "She truly loves him so he won't get hurt and he wouldn't hurt her, he's too good a person. So, she won't be hurt. Really I just think you worry too much. Maybe I sound a little like Shikamaru here, but it's troublesome to bother with something that's fine on it's own."

"I suppose your right, but I still am not used to it."

In Kohona matters were far less calm.

"Go to hell!" screamed Tsunade. "I'm done with it!"

"Tsunade-sama! Hokage-sama, please calm down." said a council member.

Tsunade wasn't happy in any way. She had decided to give up her position as Hokage. Naruto was the only real reason she ever came back to Kohona. Now that he had left and her little brother was gone all over again, she didn't want to ever come back again. She was done with it.

"I resign. Go find Jiraya if your set on a sannin Hokage!"

"No need," said the white-haired man. "I'm here, and you can forget me becoming Hokage. Go find someone else who will really want the job. I'm truthfully done with this place. I've been in and out several times and never, not once, did I see someone with as much potential as that boy. You just kicked out my favorite student. Maybe it was just Haruno who pushed him over the edge, but your kidding if you think it wasn't you guys that pushed him to that edge. It's just as much your fault as her's, if not more."

"...Jiraya..." said Tsunade.

"But what will we do without a proper Hokage?"

Tsunade and Jiraya didn't care and walked off right through the front gates. The wind blew through the streets. Leafs slowly fell around the men and women that had gathered. Sakura fell to the ground weeping horribly, openly, a pathetic sight for all to see. Sakura curled up on the ground, moaning and crying. Her dress, which would've normally been kept neat and crisp, was wrinkled and stained from the dirt. She tried to stand up, and fell over again. Sakura got up on her hands and knees and crawled slowly to the council.

She reached then eventually reached the main member's desk. She pulled herself up on shaking limbs. She used what strength her arms still possessed to forced her chest over the hard wooden desk. She struggled to force her hands behind her head. Slowly, painfully, she untied the headband, and dropped it on the desk.

"What do you mean, by giving me this?" he asked.

"I quit." she said simply.

"You can't quit. Your sentence was to serve you duty as you normally would, until Naruto Uzamaki decides to kill you."

"I can't take it. I can't do this anymore, not without my team."

"Too damn bad."

In Suna Temari had fallen asleep Naruto's shoulder. Naruto picked her up and set her down in his bed, and then he walked outside. In the cold hard sand of the desert night, Naruto wept. He wasn't even sure why it had to happen now, but Hinata's death suddenly hit him hard. One of his friends, a person who had never abandoned him, in fact, someone who had loved him, was dead. His warm tears hit the frozen sand, practically creating steam. Naruto wasn't used to the pain of loss.

He was used to pain. He was used to being hated, being despised, being beaten and he could've even dealt with looking his own death in the face. What he couldn't take was the pain of having lost those he cared for. That was a different pain. There are two types of people where grief is concerned; most people feel the pain of loss as soon as it happens. Others, like Naruto, feel it happen in patches over days, weeks, months, even years.

_Now I made an attempt to be with Temari? What if I can't defend her? What if she, just like Hinata, leaves me? Worse, what will happen if she's doing this as a joke or had been drunk, and she began to hit him all the time just like Sakura? Will she try to kill me too? Why am I even thinking like this? It's not like I actually feel, well any romantic feelings for her. Right? I mean, I'm just in this relationship because Hinata's gone so recently._

Naruto was so used to the way Sakura was. False realizations, lying hints, that was how Sakura worked. So now in any case outside of Hinata, Naruto had to question it's true meaning. Naruto knew he needed something to distract him, something to block the pain. He brought his shivering fingers up in the cross seal.

"Shadow clone jutsu!"

No less then thirty shadow clones appeared. Naruto ordered them all to transform into a villager and attack him. The main reason he had them transform was that he didn't want to slack off or relax when fighting because it was training. He ran at the clones. He leapt over one and swung down with his hand, punching it in the back of the head. Then he dropped down low and spun in a circle with the left leg extended. Several clones fell to the ground. Naruto leapt up in the air and made another shadow clone to begin the resengan.

Two clones on the ground were doing the same. Naruto fell back towards the group as one clone leapt at him, swirling resengan in hand. Naruto slammed his own against it and the two balls of swirling chakra collided, almost causing a tornado from the high wind speeds. Naruto felt himself fly backwards into the cold desert night. He would've normally landed heavily on the ground a half-mile away, but as he was already in the air he was sent flying several miles away. The explosion of resengan against resengan was huge. Naruto kept that in mind as he looked for the clones.

There weren't any left. Apparently, the clone fighting Naruto had fallen so deep back into the crowd that it had killed all the others. Naruto sighed and started walking. He got back inside the gates wearily, well after two in the morning. The sun had begun to rise over the distant hills. Naruto slowly, painstakingly trudged to his house. When he finally reached it he opened the door and sat on the couch he'd gotten from Gaara. The Kyuubi had finished healing Naruto's small wounds.

He sighed as Temari walked into his living room and hugged him. Thoughts of betrayal and being shallow flew quickly through his head. He gave a small cry and fell off the couch. He apologized several times before getting back up. Again, words of _Traitor, didn't Hinata mean anything? _or_ Your parents must be turning in their graves, _flew through his head.

"Are you ok, Naruto-kun?"

Naruto had failed to get much of any sleep all last night. He was lost, confused, in a new place and had just finished letting go most of his family. That wasn't an easy pain to handle. Naruto felt the heavy hands of sleep dragged desperately at his eyelids. He shook his head slowly.

"I don't think so, but I hope I can be."

She looked at him concerned.

"What's happened, Naruto-kun?"

Temari didn't know. That simple fact flew through his head. She knew that he was leaving a village that had always cursed him. He was leaving one teammate who had been an utterly terrible person. If Gaara had spoken to her much, then she might know he was leaving a small group of family behind. She had no way of knowing that Hinata had died, and what she had meant to him.

"I..." he tried, then paused before trying again. "At Kohona, I... My friend..."

He couldn't say it. To announce it would've made it final, undeniable. He just couldn't let go. He couldn't admit that was no way he could ever see her again. He couldn't let go of her. She was shy, yes. She had a confidence issue, yes. That didn't mean she wasn't kind, and good, right down to the core. He thought of how she died, of how she had kissed him.

"H-Hinata..." he said softly, tears in his eyes.

"Your shy friend? What's up with her?"

Naruto turned to Temari and shook his head. She gasped a little and held her hand to her mouth.

"You, surely you don't mean that Haruno... she didn't! Did she?"

Naruto nodded, and then broke down. He had fully come to grips with what he was admitting. Hinata was dead. She had been his lover, secret admirer. He had been her hero and inspiration, even if he had never noticed because he was too distracted by... the pink _thing_.

"Hinata... as she died, told me... told me that she... cared for me."

That was all he could manage to say. Temari walked over to him and embraced him tightly. She rocked him lightly back and forth as he sobbed into her shoulder. Normally, Naruto wasn't ever one to let a woman comfort him. It was a simple case of insult to male pride. However, in the face of overwhelming grief, pride and dignity don't exist. He held Temari close to him. He never wanted to let go of her, because she was a link to his humanity. If he needed comfort, it meant he was human. That was the most important thing to him, to be human.

"I'm so sorry, Naruto-kun." said Temari.

She kissed him on his brow and he snuggled up to her again, wanting to feel something, some human contact. He needed something to show himself that he wasn't what everyone called him, a monster and a demon. He felt Temari's heartbeat and the long night coupled with fatigue made him pass out.

He awoke as the smell of ramen drifted through his room. He sat up with speed that was so quick it made his back crack. Naruto sniffed the air hopefully to make sure his nose wasn't playing tricks on him. He smelled the beef ramen waiting in the other room.

"RAMEN! RAMEN! GREAT BIG BOWL OF RAMEN! ALL FOR ME!" he screamed.

Naruto dashed into the room with a cute attitude that is found only in young kids trying to get something they want badly. Naruto found the ramen on the counter and began shoveling it into his mouth. Then something occurred to him. For there to be ramen, someone must've cooked it. He looked over and saw Temari standing there, a happy smile on her face. Naruto quickly swallowed the noodles and then addressed Temari.

"Wow, Temari-san. Whoops, I mean, Temari-chan. Did you make all this?"

"Yes," she said laughing a little. "I figured you'd want to wake up. After all you never did choose a weapon."

Naruto smiled and continued to eat the noodles that he so loved. Then another figure entered the small house. Gaara stood there. He wasn't frowning, but not quite smiling either. It was a strange look. As though he wanted to wish Naruto well, and was incapable of doing it. The thing was Naruto was, more or less, with his sister. The forces of nature required Gaara, as her brother, to be protective. He knew he could trust Naruto with Temari, which was the only reason he wasn't strangling the boy.

Gaara calmed his mind and walked slowly over to Naruto and stared with a raised eyebrow at the noodles. He pointed to the bowl with a slow gesture.

"May I have some?"

"My ramen?" he asked. "Sure I guess; I mean, the more the merrier."

Gaara grabbed some chopsticks and took a long noodle into his mouth. He slurped it up slowly. Then, his eyes grew wide and his pupil seemed to shrink. His mouth opened and closed several times. His hands begin to twitch at high speeds. It was like he was having a seizure.

"Gaara?" asked Temari, concerned. "Gaara? Are you ok?"

"R-ramen. RAMEN IS GOOD!"

Gaara quickly grabbed another blow and started loading it with noodles. Naruto thought he would never be slightly disturbed by watching someone eat ramen. However, the fact that _Gaara _ate it with such vigor was really disturbing. Naruto's jaw dropped for a while before he remembered his manners and shut it. Then, he began to quickly shove more noodles down his own mouth. Temari stood dumbfounded.

"Gaara... actually shouted? For ramen?"


	7. First Mission!

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 7: First Mission

_Naruto lay on the ground near the school. He was only six years old and several men walked up to him._

_"Happy birthday, Kyuubi!"_

_"Hey, demon-spawn!"_

_They proceeded to kick him. Naruto felt his ribs crack. He felt the blood fly out of his mouth. He could fell the pain that was so overwhelming. Then, the men stopped and waited. Naruto could feel the bones begin to mend quickly. The gashes in his side vanished. After half an hour he was normal again._

_"Guess it's true, Kyuubi does heal himself. Guess we just have to do it again."_

_They did. They stabbed him, struck him and spat on his wounds. They cut him and threw dirt into his gashes. Naruto wept. They all hated him. They all hurt him. Nobody cared for him, and if they pretended to it was just a lie. _

_The scene changed._

_Naruto was eight and lay in an alley after he had been attacked again. It was his birthday, and he lay with three broken ribs, a broken leg and a fractured skull. He cried again. They all hated him. They all hurt him, and nobody cared to even look at him. Yet, that couldn't be true! Someone walked down the alley and Naruto tried to move._

_"P-please, don't hurt me again." he said weakly._

_"Come on son, let me get you something to drink."_

_The man pulled him inside an apartment and wrapped him in a towel. He sat Naruto in front of a warm fire, the handed him a cup full of hot chocolate._

_"Go ahead," said the man. "Drink."_

_Naruto did, and his head felt light and fuzzy. The cup had been poisoned. The man picked him up roughly by the neck and dragged him up to the roof. The man looked at him, and Naruto saw the hate, the pain, the loss and the hell in the man's eyes. Several tears leaked from Naruto's eyes._

_"Why?" asked the man. "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST DIE!?"_

_He threw the kid off the high apartment roof. Naruto screamed as he fell. He felt time slow down and as he fell the long ten stories before hitting the ground hard. A large crater surround Naruto, as his body repaired itself, so it could happen again the next day._

_That was the worst kind of hell. He was attacked, hurt and basically killed everyday. He was healed overnight and dragged back into all the shit. Naruto couldn't stand it. He began to hate life. The only two who he liked were Iruka-sensei and the old man Hokage. Naruto tried to sit up as he heard more footsteps and--_

"Naruto!" said Kankuro. "Wake up. Your shift."

Naruto tried to sit up to find his right arm numb and Temari's head was on his forearm. She had a look of happy, blissful, content on her face. Naruto sat up, carefully placing her head on the ground and she sat up slowly as Kankuro lay down for sleep. Temari looked at him as he went to lean against a tree. Temari followed him.

"What's up?" he asked. "This isn't your cycle."

"I know," she said. "I want to be with you. Is that so wrong?"

"I guess not."

He sat next to her and she placed her head on his shoulder. Naruto didn't stop her, nor did he encourage her. Temari closed her eyes and before long. Naruto set her down lightly, and leapt up into a tree, so that he was hidden from any attackers. Naruto sat still for a solid hour. He'd started to make a habit of manually rotating his chakra so his muscles didn't cramp up. He looked around and saw what appeared to be floating red clouds. Then he recognized what they were.

_Itachi and Kaisame!_

Naruto opened his mouth to shout a warning, but quick as a flash, Itachi had leapt up and placed a hand over Naruto's mouth. Naruto struggled to try and bite the man's hand but failed. He tilted to his right, so that the dagger, with it's handle pointing to the right, fell out. It landed point down in Itachi's sandal. The missing ninja ripped it up and out before leaping backwards.

"GUYS! ATTACK!" shouted Naruto.

Naruto drew his katana and turned to see Kaisame. The blue man swung at Naruto with his long shark-skin blade and Naruto had to do a back flip to avoid it. Naruto knew that sword was different. It ate chakra. Naruto threw up his hands in the cross seal and ten shadow clones appeared. Nine rushed at Kaisame and the last waited as Naruto held out his hand for resengan. He ran forward with the blue ball of chakra. Naruto focus and managed to plant a steady hand on Kaisame's shoulder.

"RESENGAN!"

Naruto slammed the ball at Kaisame, and the missing mist-nin held up his sharkskin. The blade absorbed the attack like it was nothing. Naruto knew that he wasn't going to be able to do it with just resengan. He looked over and saw Temari and Kankuro fighting off Itachi. Sasuke was supposed to stay with Naruto, but he couldn't turn away from Itachi.

"Sasuke!" cried Naruto. "Help me!"

Sasuke didn't move for three full seconds. Then he formed four hand signs and ran at Itachi, chidori in hand. Naruto swore, slammed his sword into it's sheath and made the signs, ox, hare, monkey, dog and held out his left palm. The chidori spun to life in his left hand he held out his right for the resengan. The clone spun the chakra around quickly and Naruto made the two balls collide. Then, he took off running at full speed at Kaisame.

"Whatever attack you've discovered boy, my sword can take it!"

"GO TO HELL!" shouted Naruto. "Chidoresengan!"

He slammed the attack against the broad side of the blade. Kaisame smirked when the attack hit. Naruto just kept pumping in large waves chakra pumping into the attack. Kaisame opened his mouth to taunt Naruto again when the great sword broke. Only, it didn't just break in half, it shattered. Kaisame looked at the thing in such shock that he didn't have time to dodge Naruto's katana. The blade cut him across the chest. The shark-like man leapt back and held his chest. Sasuke leapt at Itachi and the older man caught his arm but Sasuke kicked and sent the dagger flying high through the air... right into Naruto's waiting hand.

"You... you son of a bitch! Damn you demon container!"

Naruto spun his katana around after placing the dagger back in it's sheath. He ran at Kaisame, and swung at him over and over. The man was large, but he was nevertheless very quick. Naruto couldn't land a solid hit on him. Naruto leapt back and did the shadow clone jutsu. Then he and his large group of clones all ran at Kaisame, to keep him from backing up. Kaisame saw the sword coming and hurried back, destroying some shadow clones. Kaisame was forced to turn just in time to see the flash of metal that was Naruto's blade.

The head of man fell to ground and the blood and muscle fell out of the body as it fell to the dirt ground. Itachi looked over at his partner and swore. Sasuke ran up at him with his chidori alive and crackling. Itachi stopped him easily and kicked him back.

"That fool," said Itachi. "He underestimated his opponent. He earned death for that."

"FIGHT ME!" demanded Sasuke.

Naruto ran up to the group as Sasuke lifted his leg to try and strike Itachi. Temari couldn't do anything with her fan for fear of harming Sasuke as well. Kankuro sent his puppets in. Itachi turned and quickly set the horse puppet on fire. Kankuro's face fell. Nobody had ever managed to best him or any of his puppets, nobody except that Shino kid from the chunnin exams last year. Kankuro froze up. He didn't know what to do. What was he supposed to do against a man who could just destroy his puppets?

Naruto ran up and swung at Itachi. The older Uchiha ducked and then made several one-handed seals before vanishing in a puff of smoke. Naruto took several breathes in and fell to the ground in a heap. Sasuke started pounded the ground with his fists and Temari and Kankuro swore. After the team got over their loss, they noticed a figure who was waiting on the bridge Naruto and Kankuro went up to retrieve the scroll. Kankuro handed the man the gold and then they head back the way they had come.

It was cooler that day then most days, and the thin clothing did nothing to keep the Genin warm. Naruto took the same habit of passing his chakra out but was careful not to pass out too much and start using the demonic chakra. Eventually they were forced to stop. They were about another twenty miles away from the sand village. Naruto took a breathe in and let it out slowly, to steady his heart. Temari and Kankuro panted heavily. Sasuke followed Naruto's example.

Later they all lay down to sleep and Temari crawled over to Naruto to lie against his chest. Naruto lay on his back looking up at the stars. He'd always liked the stars. He liked to imagine that somewhere up there were his mom and dad. Still looking down on him to try and protect him. Naruto sighed and wrapped his arm around Temari and thought that his parents weren't the only ones up there watching him, there was also Sarutobi and Hinata as well. Naruto looked over to the girl next to him. He leaned towards her and kissed her lightly on the brow.

"N-Naruto-kun." she whispered in her sleep.

Naruto closed his eyes and then couldn't move his body anymore as he was drawn into his mind. Yet, he was not asleep. He was literally inside his mind with the Kyuubi. Naruto walked up to the great steel gates. Water that was leaking on the ground reached only his ankle. Naruto saw the great beast with it's glowing red eyes. Naruto felt no fear of the great demon. It wasn't that he thought Kyuubi couldn't hurt him; it was that he didn't care. Kyuubi looked at Naruto and the expression on the fox's old face was surprise.

**"Only one other human has ever looked at me without fear like that, kit."**

"Who?" asked Naruto.

**"That would've been the fourth Hokage."**

Naruto took a sharp breath. The fourth had look at Kyuubi just like Naruto did? That must've been something to see indeed. Naruto cracked his neck and the addressed the Kyuubi, in a way that was expected of and possible through only Naruto.

"So, fuzz ball, why am I here?"

**"I want to discuss your new vixen, kit."**

"Don't call Temari-Chan that, Kyuubi."

Kyuubi continued with his speech. Naruto didn't get any sleep that night. At about four in the morning Naruto awoke and saw Temari clutched tightly onto his shirt. He looked at her confused and shook her slightly. Her eyes fluttered open and she stared at Naruto before flinging her arms around him. Naruto held her close as she sobbed. He didn't need to ask her what had happened. If he ever went to talk with Kyuubi in his 'sleep' then people around him would have nightmares because of the demonic chakra.

"Come on, we have to go Temari-Chan."

She steeled herself and the group continued moving. The day was hot, which meant they were getting closer to home. However, this made them all hot and sweaty. They were dressed well for a night-run mission. Moving around like this in the day didn't go as well. Nevertheless all were in a solid hurry to get home. Home. Naruto took a moment to wonder when the village hidden in the sand had become home. He knew legally it was when he'd gained a house, but when did he first think of it as home? He couldn't remember.

A little before noon they reached the large trench-like entrance to Suna. They showed their forehead protectors and walked to the Kazekage's office. Naruto was incredibly happy to look at villagers and have them smile at him. People were actually happy to see him. Not because he was a weapon, not even because they knew him well, but because he was a ninja. To have that respect made him happy and enthusiastic. Temari noticed it and rolled her eyes at her odd boyfriend.


	8. Training no Jutsu!

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 8: Training no Jutsu!

The Kazekage's office had many differences from the Hokage's. First off and foremost, it was made of sand. Naruto wandered if the desk was made out of sand too. The papers and candles were the only things that were most certainty not. Naruto, Sasuke, Temari and Kankuro approached the council.

"Mission, success." said Kankuro.

"Any trouble?"

"Hai," said Kankuro. "Two members of the Aukutski, Itachi and Kaisame. Kaisame was K.I.A."

The council stared in surprise at Kankuro, then at Sasuke. Sasuke shook his head slightly and jerked his head towards Naruto. Naruto grinned a little. The council member told them to leave and Naruto left with Temari, putting his arm around her. Sasuke leapt off and Naruto walked with Temari to the jutsu library of Suna. When they arrived the first thing Naruto noticed was that this place was huge. He had enough room to fit a few houses in here and have room afterwards. Naruto happily went and grabbed a few scrolls.

"Ok let's see... What are my affinities again? Wind, lighting and fire! Right!"

Naruto hurried back to a table with the yellowing scrolls and opened the first one. It cracked and rolled back closed in protest. Naruto raised and eyebrow and opened it again. Again the scroll closed. Naruto got angry and quickly tugged the scroll open and held it like that with a burst of chakra.

"Naruto!" said Temari. "Be careful, these scrolls are pretty old!"

Naruto groaned. He finally got the scroll to stay open and read some of the jutsu for lightning users. The first one really caught his interest. It was called lightning line jutsu. It was a C-rank but that didn't mean it was a bad one. The signs were, ram, tiger, rooster, rat. Naruto copied this down on a blank scroll of his own. Then he saw another one. Shadow shiriken jutsu. The seals were ram, rat, rooster, boar and tiger. Naruto copied this down too and then read down the scroll, every now and then scribbling down a jutsu.

Finally, many hours later, Naruto decided it was time to try some of these awesome jutsu out. He told Temari good-bye and walked out into the bright sunny day, and into the fields. He threw off his mask and cloak and clasped his hands together to build up some chakra.

Meanwhile, deep in Grass country...

"Jiyria, I still don't like doing it like this."

"I know," Jiyria said to Tsunade. "But this is the only way we can still help the brat. We stopped Tobi and Orochimaru from getting at him didn't we?"

"Yes," she said, tired. "But that didn't help, Itachi still got at him. If we just went to Suna--"

"Which we can't do, and you know why not."

"Because you peeped on someone," she said joking.

"No," he said. "That's why _I _am not allowed in. You are not in because after you resigned from the position of Hokage, Suna and Kohona destroyed the treaty between them. So now if you, a former Hokage, no less, goes marching in there, what will that look like?"

"Ok! Ok!"

The two continued walking down the long trail that lead to what was supposed to be the temporary hideout of the Aukutski.

Back in Suna...

"DAMN IT!" swore Naruto. "This jutsu SUCKS!"

Naruto had been attempting a Red Hot Sand jutsu. It had only four hand signs, Snake, boar, ram and tiger. The basic idea was that you could heat up sand to heats that would burn through just about anything. Obviously, this had many uses. The problem was Naruto couldn't keep the jutsu going once he had it heated. It would cool down too quickly. He tried again.

"Snake, boar, ram, tiger! RED HOT SAND JUTSU!"

He plunged his hand deep into the desert. It grew so hot that it practically made steam. Then it cooled down, despite Naruto's efforts to keep it up. Naruto swore again and again. He didn't have a whole lot of his own chakra left and he would have a hard time with this jutsu with Kyuubi's chakra.

"You're using too much sand," said a voice behind him.

"Huh? Gaara!"

Gaara stood behind Naruto, quiet and immobile as ever. Naruto then looked at Gaara with his head a little sideways.

"What do you mean too much sand?"

"Your trying to heat up the whole sand country, it's no wonder you're failing so miserably."

Gaara picked up some sand with his chakra and placed it in Naruto's hand. It wasn't over the size of a large coin. Naruto tried the jutsu again. He did the signs snake, boar, ram, tiger, and the sand began to glow. It grew so warm that Naruto had to drop it in a hurry. It continued to burn down through all the other sand.

"You may want to put it out," said Gaara. "Otherwise it will burn to the core of the earth."

"Right!"

_Hey Kyuubi! Could you loan me some chakra?_

**Annoying kit.**

Naruto felt the red chakra flow through his body and performed the hand signs tiger, rooster, dog, snake.

"WATER BLAST JUTSU!"

A large jet of water burst from Naruto's mouth and hit the sand everywhere. Gaara's small amount of sand rushed up to defend him from the jet that came at him, which just coated him in mud. Naruto grinned sheepishly as Gaara looked down at himself. He was covered in mud.

"Hey, come on Gaara. Let's go get some ramen!"

Gaara eyes opened a little wider, and his head snapped up. The pair walked through the streets and Gaara spent most of the time using sand to get mud off his clothes. Finally the reached a ramen stand in Suna and Naruto could smell the intoxicating scent of ramen.

"TWO BOWLS OF BEEF RAMEN PLEASE AND KEEP 'EM COMING!" shouted Naruto.

The chief rolled his eyes.

"You boys entering too?"

"Huh?" asked Naruto. "Entering what?"

The stand owner pointed to a poster.

"The ramen eating contest of course, you just made the cut time for entering. It's a team deal. So are you two boys in or out?"

Naruto grinned at Gaara, who nodded. The _contest _didn't last very long. Gaara's and Naruto's appetites for the noodles quickly sent all other contestants home with painful cramps. After all other opponents were gone, Naruto and Gaara both ordered another bowl.

"Um... fellas, the contest is over. You don't have to eat anymore!"

Gaara's sand wrapped around the man, up to the neck.

"I'm hungry," said Gaara. "I think it would be best for you to feed me my ramen."

Gaara dropped the man and he quickly gave Naruto and Gaara another bowl. Naruto and his red-haired companion shoveled down their bowls and then yawned. Then Naruto said he needed to get back to training. Gaara nodded and walked away. Naruto stopped once he had reached the field and thought about all the jutsu he'd learned. He wasn't disappointed in the least. He'd learned many fire, lightning and water jutsu. Now it was time to learn a few wind and earth.

For the next three hours, Naruto worked hard and learned a lot of things. When he finally decided to get home, it was late into the night. Temari was waiting on the couch. She had fallen asleep and Naruto smiled lightly at the scene. When he'd first met her he'd always thought of her as a bit of a bitch, but she did have a much softer side for those she cared about. Naruto thought over something Kakashi had once told him. He had said that Naruto had a way of bringing out the best in people.

Naruto thought that must be true. He could name so many examples, just off the top of his head. There was Gaara, Temari, Kakashi himself, Iruka, Sasuke, Kankuro, Tsunade, Jiyria, Hinata and many others. And then, there was Sakura. He thought about what he had done to Sakura. He'd had loved her and she had gone slightly insane. Hinata had loved him and she had been killed. He felt something for Temari and Temari loved him, so what would happen to her. Would she go really crazy and commit suicide?

Naruto shook himself and went to go grab a blanket for Temari. He covered her up and her hand clutched his wrist. She pulled it up to rest on her neck. Naruto sighed and pulled up a chair, knowing his sleep tonight wouldn't feel good. Temari awoke late the next day and saw her boyfriend with his head on her chest sitting up in a chair.

"Aw... you poor baby. I probably kept you there all night."

Then she noticed the blanket that was around her. She found Naruto's affection to be very sweet and got up, deciding to make breakfast for him. She got started on cooking and Naruto's tired eyes fluttered open. He saw his girlfriend cooking in the kitchen and he smiled. He walked up right behind her and decided to spook her out a little. He wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear.

"Good morning, Temari-Chan."

Temari paled a little.

"Kami! Naruto you scared me! I'm glad your up though."

She leaned her head back and kissed him lightly. Naruto broke the kiss and he reached into the frying pan, grabbing a piece of bacon before stuffing said piece down his mouth. Temari laughed a little as Naruto gave her his approval. He went into the other room to change. He put on some white cargo pants and a black t-shirt. Then he threw on a flowing royal blue cape and then grabbed his Suna headband. Naruto noticed that he hair had begun to creep into his eyes.

He grabbed a kunai to chop it and stopped, he liked it a little longer. I didn't look goofy like the fourth Hokage's hair, but it looked, like what one might expect to see on a slightly rebellious teenager. Naruto then tossed several kunai and shiriken into each of the side pockets. He cracked his neck then stared at his reflection in the mirror. He saw that any baby fat that had been on his face was mostly gone; his eyes sparkled with life and energy. Overall, he approved of the change.

Naruto went back into the room as Temari was placing his food on the table. He walked to the food and shoveled it down that endless hole he calls his mouth. Temari laughed as she watched what she assumed was a man with motors for arms.

"Naruto-kun, slow down! Are you even tasting my food?"

Naruto froze.

"Yes. Yes I am, and it is great."

He hurriedly finished. Then, he got up and ran up to Temari. He kissed quickly then dashed out the door.

"See you, Temari-Chan!"

Naruto spent the rest of the whole day training. He was using new jutsu, strengthening old ones. By the time the moon rose over the far hills, Naruto felt extremely pleased with his improvement. He knew he was far stronger then any of his rookie friends in Kohona. He could beat any of them easily, except maybe Shikamaru. Shikamaru, however, wasn't in a mood to battle.

Shikamaru was watching the clouds float lazily over Kohona. For once he wasn't thinking about his life. He was thinking about Naruto. Things hadn't gone too bad for a while now. Kakashi Hatake had taken the position of Hokage, and he was a kind man, finding a good position for all. Shikamaru himself didn't mind his job too much. He didn't have to go on missions anymore. He just designed the way teams were supposed to organize. As far as the whole Sakura situation was. Not everyone knew what to think.

Sakura had kind of yelled out that Naruto had the Kyuubi in him. Shikamaru knew the difference. It was simple. Naruto contained the Kyuubi not the other way around. The problem was that He, Lee, Choji, Ten-Ten and Shino seemed to be the only people able to see that. Ino happened to side with her friend. She had said that Naruto wasn't ever quite right in the head anyway. Neji had said that it was Naruto's fate to have left the village and intervening with fate wasn't a smart idea. Shikamaru remembered that conversation.

_"Neji! How can you think that? Naruto isn't the fox!" said Shikamaru._

_"I don't really what to bother with Naruto's fate. That is his destiny."_

_"I thought Naruto was the one who'd beaten that out of you!"_

_Neji's face grew in a scowl._

_"Yet Naruto Uzamaki had to bow before his fate in the end anyway! That just proves what I'd always thought!"_


	9. Meeting the Sannin

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 9: Meeting the Sannin.

Shikamaru groan slightly. He'd never thought Neji would be that downright stupid. Ino, maybe he could've expected it from her. However, from Sakura, his own teammate? Now Kiba too? So many stupid people. It was so... _troublesome._

"Shikamaru," said a figure.

It was Kakashi. He still wore his facemask. He couldn't wear the Hokage hat because of his hair. However, the Hokage robes were wrapped around his figure. He gave an impression of power, and strength. He was just what the village needed in these times.

"What?"

"I need you to organize the new Genin teams," said Kakashi.

"Sure sure. I'll get on it," said the genius lazily. "Hand me the roster."

Back in Suna Naruto was receiving his next set of orders from the council. He was supposed to go on another mission with Sasuke and Gaara. Naruto didn't have a problem with his teammates at all, what he had an issue with was what they were supposed to do. They had to go to sound and find Orochimaru's base and the snake bastard himself. Obviously, they were advised not to engage. Naruto nodded when asked if he would lead the mission and the three leapt out through the window. Naruto felt strange. This would be his first time leading any team.

"Don't worry so much," said Gaara. "You're tense. Just relax, you'll do fine."

Naruto tried to do as Gaara said. He took several deep breaths and was better of for it; at least he could think. They spent the rest of the day traveling. At the edge of night, Naruto requested they stop and set up camp. The other two agreed. They set up their three one-man tents, and climbed into their respective tent. Naruto had a bad night of sleep, reliving the valley of the end, and what had happened afterward. The sun had only just begun to peak over the far hills when the boys packed up.

Naruto took notice of the wind. It was getting cold and it was blowing against them. Naruto warned the other two to cover their eyes, and put on a facemask. Naruto and the squad then dashed off into the frozen morning. They had to keep reinforcing their legs with chakra and they stopped far more often then Naruto wanted to. More often then not it was Sasuke who needed a break, and any other time it was Gaara. Naruto felt like he could still run forever. While he couldn't actually do that, he did have insanely high stamina.

When they passed through towns, the people would gather around and cheer them on. Gaara and Sasuke seemed to grow annoyed with it, but Naruto loved it to the extreme. Then at around noon Sasuke requested they stop to get something to eat. They agreed that it was a good idea and stopped in at a dango shop. Naruto was surprised that the sun could be right overhead and it could still be so cold. He wished he'd thought to bring a coat or at least a vest. Then he remembered a warming jutsu.

It was supposed to be used to warm other things up, but maybe this would work if he didn't open his mouth. He preformed the hand seals, monkey, rat, hare, snake, boar. Naruto felt the heat rising up through his body, warming his legs and arms warm. He preformed the jutsu twice more to warm up Sasuke and Gaara and they thanked him for it. After they had all finished the excuse for food they agreed on calling lunch, the group shouldered up their packs and was on their way again.

They crossed the boarder at about the start of night. Yet, they were still far from their objective. Sasuke was all for going on ahead, but Naruto said that it would be foolish and stupid to try and find Orochimaru's base in the night. They set up camp again and slept until early dawn. In the morning, Gaara was the first awake. He shook Naruto and Sasuke awake. Naruto leapt up with his dagger in hand. Sasuke sat up and they quickly got striped the camp down. Then they went off to go deep into sound.

They were running down a dirt trail that had large towering trees on each side. Naruto suddenly skidded to a stop and held up his hand. Gaara and Sasuke slide to a standstill behind him. Naruto pointed to the ground and the other two saw the strings on the ground.

"Damn!" said a voice behind a bush. "He saw it! Too late now! Get the Uchiha and the Kyuubi, but kill the other if you want."

Gaara froze. He wasn't used to being ignored by the enemy as if he was no threat. Gaara decided he didn't like it and then spoke to the two ninja that had jumped out behind them. They were sound ninja of course. When Gaara spoke, his voice was so deep that it was like poison.

"You haven't heard of me? I am Gaara of the desert. I promise after our meeting here you will never forget me, if I let you live that is."

Gaara sent a wave of sand at his two foes. If the screams were blood curdling, it was nothing next to the actual remains of the two ninja. Yet, Naruto, Sasuke and Gaara were Shinobi and taught to deal with such things. Something most people never really seemed to think about is that almost _every _person above Jonnin has an odd habit.

Kakashi was always late and read smut. Gai had his spandex and obsession with the 'flames of youth'. Orochimaru took little boys for their bodies. Jiyria was a huge pervert and openly admitted it. Asuma smoked, and Tsunade had a drinking and gambling problem. Shizune was a suspected lesbian and kept a pig. Naruto had been through a part of the same hell as Jonnin for getting hell for being the Kyuubi. He dealt with it by yelling about becoming Hokage and eating ramen, and soaking up new jutsu. Gaara had shared Naruto's hell and was... well Gaara.

Naruto did the shadow clone jutsu and made a resengan. Sasuke took the cue and made a chidori. The two combined them and ran at the last ninja. They proudly shouted out the name of the deadly attack as they took their enemy's life.

"Uzamaki, Uchiha, Chidoresengan!"

"Gather up the headbands," said Naruto. "I'd rather we play it as spies for as long as we can."

Sasuke and Gaara nodded, replacing their Suna headbands. Naruto rubbed some dirt on his cheeks to hide the whisker marks and then put on the headband. They walked into the village and didn't have too much difficulty. The problem was what to do now? They couldn't just go asking questions. Naruto lead them into a local bar. They ordered a bottle of sake.

"You kids old enough to drink?" asked the manger.

"Old enough to kill, old enough to drink." was Naruto's reply.

The manager sighed and went back muttering something about stupid blonde ninjas and how this one didn't even have an impressive rack to look at.

_Wait! A blonde woman with-- Tsunade! _thought Naruto.

"Sir! Did a blonde woman come in here earlier? Possibly with a white haired man? She would've been wearing gray robes with a green jacket over it."

"Oh so you know her? Yeah she came in here earlier on. Went back into the stores I think. Asked a lot of questions about Orochimaru-sama then left."

Naruto's expression soared. He told Sasuke and Gaara to wait and then sprinted off to find the two Sannin. After all, if he was going to find a Sannin, he ought to think like one. What better way to do that then find two of the legendary three? Naruto kicked the door to a weapon shop open and it was so small he could tell they weren't there. He closed it and then felt Jiyria's chakra signature coming from a tree.

"Even in a place like this the pervert peeps..."

Naruto leapt up in the tree and then waited for Jiyria to notice him. Naruto had used chakra to land lightly on the tree so it was a good ten seconds before Jiyria slowly turned around. He looked at Naruto and very slowly, recognition dawned across his face.

"N-Naruto?"

"Damn prevy sage. Your getting as bad as Hinata was!"

Naruto felt bad for the crack he'd made about Hinata but Jiyria soon drove it from his thoughts.

"Naruto! Wow Tsunade's gonna flip. She's been dying to see you kid. Hey I'm going to be honest. I'm going to go insane with you here kid. I need someone young like you to keep me on my toes. So what'd you say? If you come back I promise to teach you a load of new jutsu!"

Naruto contained his happiness and made himself think rationally.

"Just grab Tsunade and bring her to the bar in five."

"Ok, whatever you say kid."

Naruto headed back to the bar and heard a very load _slap. _Later came a cry of, 'But he told me to!' Naruto groaned. He never thought Jiyria would try and grope Tsunade. When the old couple finally did get back to the bar Naruto waved and signaled them to walk over. They did and sat down. Gaara's mistrust of Tsunade was drawn upon his face. Tsunade gave Naruto a quick hug and Gaara's sand broke them apart. She shot him a glare that clearly wished him a speedy death should he harm Naruto. The dirty bartender came and placed five broken, stained bottles down in front of them.

Naruto pretended to take a small sip of his. Sasuke actually did drink some of it and Gaara left his alone. Tsunade and Jiyria hit their glasses quickly. Naruto dumped about a quarter-bottle into a plant when he could. The plant was fine, so there were no obvious poisons. He drank a small bit. His brain got a little fuzzy and he put the bottle down, and didn't touch it again.

"So, Naruto?" asked Tsunade. "What did you wanna know?"

"Where is Orochimaru?" asked Naruto quietly, his speaking not nearly so slurred as Tsunade's.

"Oh, h-him." she said after three more shots. "He'ssss down off of the, uh, the... the first town outp-post."

Naruto thanked her and gave Jiyria and Tsunade a quick hug, to let them know he was pleased to see them. He pulled Jiyria aside. The white-haired man stumbled a little and followed Naruto to the back. It was quiet there, if you didn't count the hookers and perverts having intercourse. They ignored them and Naruto addressed Jiyria.

"So, if you going to train me, when will you and how long would it last?" Naruto said.

Jiyria noted that, even though the voice was semi-egger, it was darker, quieter. It was Naruto, just a little changed.

"It'd start in about two months, I could make it last up to five years."

"I'll ask Temari. If it's ok, I'll meet you at the sand gates in two months time. Be there at eight sharp at night. If I'm not there, I can't come."

Jiyria nodded.

"Now you can go make-out with the girls back there," said Naruto.

"THANKS!" said the pervert running off quickly.

Naruto rolled his eyes and went back to Gaara and Sasuke. Tsunade sat with tears in her eyes. Naruto went up to her and wrapped his arms tightly around her. She hugged him back, pushing in for the human contact, not just any contact though, just his, just Naruto's. Naruto broke from her and looked her in the face.

"What's wrong?"

"Your going to leave us again aren't you?" she asked.

"I never wanted to... I had to. Besides I might see you guys again for a long time if I can get away." he explained.

She embraced him just as a loving mother does her own child. Naruto allowed himself this moment of weakness and enjoyed the embrace and the feeling of the love and contact he was getting. Temari loved him but as a girlfriend, not a mother.

"Bye." he said and she kissed him on the forehead quickly.

"Hey, guys. Take that out back." said the bartender.

Naruto replaced the stolen sound headband and walked out the door, Sasuke and Gaara right next to him. They walked through the strange place the way they had come until they finally found the entrance that Tsunade had described. It was dark in there, and lit by candles every several meters. Sasuke noticeably shivered. Naruto thought it must've been weird to attack a place you were supposed to have joined a while back. Naruto kept glancing right and left.

There were no passageways and Naruto ran quickly into a large open room. It was styled much like a castle throne room. Everything was poofy. An actual throne stood on top of a podium and the walls were thick stone. Before they could admire the place anymore, a voice came from behind them.

"Ku, ku, ku. Two demon containers and Sasuke-kun. This is my lucky day."

The biggest traitor to Kohona was standing right in front of the three Genin.


	10. Sannin Fight and Spread News

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 10: Sannin Fight and Spread News

"YOU BASTARD!" yelled Naruto. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU AND AVENGE THE OLD MAN!"

Naruto made a shadow clone and ran at Orochimaru. The shadow clone was helping Naruto charge up a resengan. Naruto dispelled the clone when he could and thrust his fist at the snake. The Sannin didn't move and Naruto hit him, dead on in the chest. Orochimaru fell apart as mud.

_Substitution! _thought Naruto.

He turned and ran at the snake Sannin again. Sasuke and Gaara stopped him.

"Naruto!" shouted Sasuke. "He's just baiting you! We need to be a team and move logically. Think about what Kakashi-sensei told us!"

Naruto shook himself and then stood, shoulder-to-shoulder with Gaara and Sasuke. Naruto looked at Sasuke and Gaara. The both nodded at him. Naruto made a resengan and Sasuke charged up a chidori. Gaara, meanwhile, scooped up a handful of sand with his chakra. Naruto and Sasuke slammed their attacks together and Gaara dumped his sand on top of it. The movement of the chidori kept it whirling around the attack. Sasuke and Naruto ran forward to strike the man.

"Uzamaki Uchiha, sand chidoresengan!"

They struck at the Sannin but he dodged smoothly left and right. Orochimaru flipped over Sasuke and formed fast hand seals. He was about to launch his attack in mid-air when Gaara's sand grabbed his foot. Orochimaru turned his jet of flames to the sand man. A rush of sand covered Gaara and protected him from the deadly attack. Naruto leapt up and formed the signs ram, tiger, rooster and rat.

"LIGHTNING LINE!" he shouted.

A thin line of blue crackling death shot from Naruto left index finger. Orochimaru dodged it without too much trouble. Naruto leapt up again and formed the shadow clone jutsu sign. Several clones appeared before him and kicked the Sannin in the air. Sasuke leapt up above him and drew a kunai. Gaara's sand caught the snake Sannin and held him still. Sasuke's kunai drove into Orochimaru's heart, before he turned into mud. Naruto swore. Orochimaru could just keep using it over and over and over if he wanted. Naruto formed quick hand signs.

_Ram, snake, hare, monkey, horse, dragon, snake, dog, ram, tiger, rooster._

On the final hand seal and angry wheel of fire seemed to rise from the stone floor around the blonde Shinobi. At Naruto's command it moved and shifted into the shape of a large and terrifying dragon. It turned and flew at Orochimaru at wind breaking speed.

"FIRE DRAGON JUTSU!"

Orochimaru calmly made fast hand seals and then threw his hands forward in the hare shape. A large jet of water turned Naruto's dragon to steam. Sasuke leapt next to Naruto and charged up a chidori. Naruto did the same and made it with his right hand. The smashed the two together and ran at Orochimaru.

"Uzamaki Uchiha, double chidori! Ten thousand birds!"

They swung at Orochimaru and as quick as he was, one of the long beams of chakra skimmed him. He held the spot angrily. The Sannin formed hand signs that were too fast for even Sasuke's Sharigan to see. Naruto saw a flicker before he found himself incased in a large amount of mud that quickly hardened. Naruto through up his hands quickly but he could move quick enough and was trapped underneath. Sasuke ran to him while Gaara flew on his sand to attack the snake Sannin.

Sasuke started trying to pull Naruto up, but failed. Then he formed a chidori and slammed it down into the ground. Then Sasuke saw that he had cracked the ground. He seized Naruto again and yanked up. Naruto came flying up and out of the ground. It made several parts of rock and dirt go flying up. Sasuke felt the muscles in his arms neatly rip. Naruto saw it. He never had thought Sasuke would go so far for him. Most wouldn't have thought much on it and dismissed it.

Naruto knew how much pain one could feel from ripping a muscle. It was far worse then actually breaking and arm or leg. Plus, it doesn't just heal without a med-nin. It never is perfect until it's fixed. The body will eventually maintain itself but until that happened Sasuke had just lost the use of his right arm. Naruto flipped up in the air and formed the signs snake, boar, ram and tiger. Then, he scooped up some of Gaara's sand and threw it at Orochimaru.

"RED HOT SAND!"

Orochimaru dodged the deadly barrage of grains. He formed five signs and a large amount of snakes came flying at him and wrapped around him. Naruto quickly did the substitution jutsu. The snake sank it's teeth into him and he vanished in a poof of smoke. In his place was a thick brick. Gaara swung his left hand gracefully and a large wave of sand followed the move. Orochimaru leapt up in the air and formed more hand seals before slamming his hand into the ground. A large snake appeared. Naruto bit his thumb and in a moment, and Gamabunta had appeared.

**"Eh? Kid! What am I doing here?"**

"You said you wanted a good match next time I called on you. Well, I've gotten it a little spot."

Gamabunta nodded and leapt up high into the air then came sweeping down.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY GAARA!"

Gaara did as he asked and flipped to the side. As Gamabunta grappled with the snake, Naruto leapt off his head at Orochimaru. The snake Sannin opened his mouth and the grass blade came out of it. Out of instinct Naruto reached for the dagger, scar, strapped to his back. The two connected and Naruto pushed heavily against Orochimaru's blade. Orochimaru's smile broke when his blade snapped in half.

"WHAT!?" he yelled.

Naruto stood in a little shock, he hadn't expected it. Then he shook himself and leapt up quickly. A wave of sand smashed Orochimaru, who used the replacement move. Naruto leapt at him with the signs ram, boar, horse, dog, tiger. A stream of fire flew from both hands.

"FIRE STYLE: FIRE STREAM JUTSU!"

Naruto took the time that Orochimaru used to dodge to look at Sasuke. He was still badly injured. He must've been struck when the snake was summoned; he hadn't had time to move. Naruto landed on Gamabunta and whispered quickly to him. The toad agreed and leapt off to Sasuke. Naruto leapt off his head and scooped Sasuke up. Sasuke groaned in pain and Naruto began to panic. It no longer mattered who the leader of the mission was. His friend was in pain. Something was wrong and he had to fix it.

"Gaara! Come on!"

Gaara flew up on his wave of sand. He landed on Gamabunta next to Naruto.

"Come on Gamabunta let's go!"

Orochimaru looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow. He had no idea what the lad was going to do. Gamabunta leapt up in the air and throw his small dagger high in the air, and burst right out through the ceiling. As they were flying through the air, Naruto turned and threw a last kunai at him. Orochimaru caught it and smiled.

"You have to do better," he said just before he heard the hissing sound. "Huh?"

The explosion went off in his hand. Naruto smirked and yelled back at him.

"HEY, I'M GONNA BE THE BEST NINJA EVER SOMEDAY! DON'T MESS WITH NARUTO UZAMAKI!"

Gaara smiled a little bit. Naruto fell down and smiled because he knew they were going to be fine. It took them a mere hour to get back into Suna. The trip hadn't been too bad either. When they reached the city Naruto leapt off Gamabunta and thanked him. The giant toad vanished in a puff of smoke. Naruto carried his injured friend to the hospital and stood outside the emergency room for several hours. Gaara had left to give the debriefing. Naruto stood thinking.

_What if I really messed up bad this time? What if he ends up dying? He's my best friend, my brother, one of my precious people. I don't know what I'll do if he... What if I gave him Kyuubi chakra? Would it heal him? Kyuubi! I need some demonic chakra._

**It wouldn't work, kit. My chakra responds only to your body. If you pump it into anyone else, all it is going to do is act like normal chakra. Plus, it's toxic to most other humans. So really the only thing your going to do with my chakra is hurt him, you best letting them deal with it. Go see your vixen.**

_Don't call her that!_

Naruto was tired. He got up and ran to his house. Temari and him seemed to have made an unofficial decision for her to live with him. He didn't know why but it didn't bother him. He just then noticed that he hardly slept in his own bed since they had been together. He dashed across rooftops, enjoying the cool wind rushing past his head. His sand forehead protector was back on his head in place of the stolen sound one. He kept reflecting on the mission, and what had gone wrong.

He reached the house and placed his hand upon the wooden door. He ran his hand slowly along the smooth wooden framing until he reached the metal handle. Then he turned the handle and walked inside. Temari walked to him quickly and embraced him.

"I was really worried," she said. "They told me you'd made contact with Orochimaru."

"You mean that they wanted me to fight--"

"No, no, no! They didn't want you to get in a fight, but they thought that you would, after all, he's a Sannin."

Naruto kissed her, because he was happy, happy to see someone who really cared about him. He wrapped his arm around her and started walking outside. She happily laid her head in his chest. Naruto was tired, but knew he had to discuss his training with Jiyria. It would affect her the most.

"Temari-Chan?"

"Hm?"

"I... When I was on the mission I met my third sensei." he started. "He wants me to… to go training with him again."

"Well that's good isn't it?" she asked. "He's a Sannin too, you can't get better training then that. After all, your dream is to become the best ninja in the world. Isn't it?"

Naruto groaned. He hadn't liked explaining the situation to Temari, but to explain that he would have to be gone for five years, that felt damn near impossible. He cared a lot but didn't know what he was supposed to do. He opened his mouth, but no words came out. Temari spoke again.

"It's not like I have any problems with you meeting your sensei every few weeks or so," she said.

Naruto winced.

"It's uh... It's not... the time he needs to... I mean. It'll be a long time."

Her eyes met his in understanding. Her eyes almost filled with tears. She could see how badly he wanted to go and do it, but she didn't want to lose him. She fully embraced him and Naruto returned the gesture. She leaned forward and he lips parted desperately. Naruto kissed her. She licked his lips almost immediately. Naruto opened his mouth and let her taste him. She drew her tongue back into her own mouth and Naruto chased it with his own. Naruto loved the taste of her.

She broke the kiss slightly and laid her head back on his shoulder. Naruto took his right arm off her and continued walking towards the trench-like entrance. When they reached the outskirts of the town they were surrounded by flat sand. Naruto kissed her and then spoke.

"The training would last for five years. It would be a long, long time to be apart."

"F-five years? I have a hard time with one or two weeks."

"I know." he said.

She looked at him and started crying a little.

"When do you leave?" she asked.

"Do you want me to go?"

"Yes," she started. "No, I don't know. I want you to get stronger and be happy, but I don't want you to be gone for so long. I... I think you will have to at some point. So, it's probably best if you, if you do it as soon as possible. When are you leaving?"

"In two months."

"It's better and worse then it could be."

Naruto kissed her again and she sighed, too tired to bother talking about the subject any longer. Naruto didn't talk about it anymore. They lay down together and fell asleep outside in the desert sand dunes. The moon shone brightly overhead.

The same moon shone in Kohona. Yet, it was setting, not rising. Sakura tiredly turned away from it. She'd had a full day of her work. She was getting worked harder then ever to atone for her punishment against Naruto. She was still confused. She had convinced herself that he really was the Kyuubi, because she didn't want to do wrong. She wanted to do the right thing so much that she had twisted the normal morals and thoughts of her brain into a slightly twisted and demonic way.

"Damn you demon!" she said softly. "You ruined my life! You couldn't just let it go! You had to go all the way to hurt Sasuke, and even though I never showed it, I liked your attention. I don't know why I used to accept you for Naruto. Kyuubi, you killed any bit of the Naruto that existed."

So she convinced herself. She turned and the yellow glowing sunrise bounced off her emerald eyes. Yellow? Yellow was the hair color of Naruto! Naruto had finally come to kill her for what she had done to him, only a small part of her felt remorse.

"NARUTO! DON'T KILL ME! PLEASE I'M SO SORRY!"

Then her moment of terror was over and she noticed all she saw was the sunset. Sakura moaned deeply and pulled her legs to her chest and curled up in a ball, thinking about Naruto and when he was going to come and kill her. She quietly cursed Naruto over and over and over.


	11. I Don't Want to Say Goodbye

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 11: I Don't Want to Say Goodbye

Naruto awoke late in the morning. He stretched and yawned, getting his blood flowing. Then he strapped on Scar and Spirit and shook Temari awake. She sat up and was up and ready to move quickly. They traveled back to his house and Naruto began to cook them both some breakfast.

Back in Kohona, Sakura was laying on a couch talk to a ninja psychologist. After her mother had found her screaming at the sunrise not to kill her, she had sent Sakura to therapy. Sakura was in the middle of her description of Naruto and wasn't doing well.

"Naruto was always nice to me. I knew he loved me and I liked it that way. I knew he was the Kyuubi too but I never thought about it. Then after he hurt Sasuke... But I think that if he was a demon shouldn't he be evil? He's hardly ever done a bad thing in his life. For a while I thought that he was actually human. Then there were a few times I saw his eyes blood red and the whisker marks on his cheeks became more noticeable. So I know he's a demon. Then, why is he pretending to be good? He helped me a lot."

The doctor did nothing other then say a 'yes' or 'hm' at points. This left Sakura to work things out in her own mind. Right now though, her mind wasn't a safe place to be. Ino Yamanaka walked in at that moment to drag her friend as their 'meeting' was over. Ino was upset that Sakura had had the therapy as usual.

"How can they do that?! I mean you didn't do anything wrong! You got rid of Kyuubi! You should be a hero, not a psycho!"

"Got... rid of... Kyuubi?" asked Sakura so softly that the words went no farther then her own ears.

"She thinks your the Kyuubi?!" shouted Temari at Naruto.

"Well..."

"I thought you said you used to like this girl for her brains," said Temari. "It seems like she doesn't even have any! If she's just like every other damn villager that hates you for something that isn't your fault... Why I ought to! I've hardly heard of it. Some damn teammate! I used to like that girl too. She was nice to you. Now I find that I like her less and less."

"Yeah," said Naruto. "I know what you mean."

Naruto wrapped his arm around her tightly. Temari looked up at him. Then something occurred to her.

"When did you get taller then me?"

Naruto shrugged.

"I guess sometime after I quit eating ramen every meal. I don't really know."

Naruto smirked and patted her on the head, mocking her a little.

"Don't think I won't hurt you just because your cute and I love you." she warned.

Naruto laughed and kissed her lightly. She broke it and lay her head on his chest, then pushed him back on the couch. She just lay there with her head on his chest for as long as she could. It had been about a month from Naruto's mission. The council hadn't assigned him anything so he could get ready to go. Thusly, he had spent every day with Temari, Gaara and Sasuke, because the impression was that he wouldn't be seeing them for a long time. Temari fell asleep on Naruto's chest.

Naruto got up and lay her on the couch then walked to the door, closing it quietly. Then he spread throughout the city, finally finding Sasuke. He was ironically, writing a letter. Naruto tried to peek over his shoulder to see what he had written, but he kept blocking Naruto from seeing it. Naruto gave up and sat on a chair. Sasuke walked over to a messenger hawk and as he slipped the note on it's foot Naruto caught the name on the envelope. _Ten-Ten Yogui. _It then struck Naruto that he didn't even know Ten-Ten's last name.

"Why you sending something to Ten-Ten?"

"We're friends, at least, better friends then some people. I originally was talking to her to find a weakness in Neji, because he was a hell of a strong person. Now, we just talk."

"Gonna ask her out?" Naruto taunted.

"Shove it dead last."

"Bastard!"

They spent the better part of the day training and talking. Sasuke practically demanded Naruto take him on the trip too. Naruto refused however, knowing Jiyria wouldn't be happy if he brought others along. When the sun had finally set over the distant hills watching it for a few moments. He remembered how he had asked Temari about the sunset when he first got here. It never got boring to look at, he had to admit. Sasuke sat next to him and they watched the sun disappear slowly.

Naruto suddenly leapt up and went to go the ramen stand he had found with Gaara. He opened the flap with a gentle hand and felt the waft of beef ramen wash over him. He hurriedly sat down next to Gaara and ordered three bowls of the stuff. Gaara looked at him after slurping up some noodles that had been hanging sloppily out of his mouth. Naruto soon got his bowl and began shoveling the wonderful noodles into his mouth in as large amounts as the chopsticks would let him.

"So," Gaara said. "You leave in twenty three days..."

"I'm sure after a while the five years won't seem that long. Besides I'll write whenever I can if the old pervert lets me."

Gaara had no noticeable reaction and continued to eat his ramen with as much dignity as he could muster. Naruto finished his first bowl and then quickly swallowed half of another. The manager looked at the two and felt the aura of two friends enjoying a last meal.

"Hey, blonde kid, you got a mission or something?" asked the manager.

"No," said Naruto. "Not a mission, but one of the toughest things I'll ever have to do."

"Here, take another bowl on the house, I think you'll need it."

Naruto took it thankfully and down half of it. Gaara looked at him and they spoke for a few minutes. Then Naruto got up and began to walk home. The cold city streets were lit by a few candle lamps every several meters or so. When Naruto got home he knocked on the door with a tired fist. The door was flung open and Temari grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him in. She kissed him quickly and hungrily. Naruto had gotten used to this by now. When he was gone for a while or she got worried, she would make out with him as soon as he got home. She broke the kiss and spoke.

"I missed you. Why'd you leave? I wanted to spend the day with you moron."

"I'm gonna take that as an 'I love you' and leave it at that." said Naruto, smiling.

Naruto kissed her again and she pushed against him. She moaned a little and they broke apart. She looked at his eyes. They had always captivated her. The deep blue pools of life never seemed dim or uncaring if he looked towards her. Yet she had seen those blue eyes alive and full of hate. Never had this hate been directed at her, but it scared her nevertheless.

"I love you," he said to her.

"I love you too," she said back.

Meanwhile, in Kohona things were far less pleasant. Shikamaru, Lee, Ten-Ten, Shino and Choji were arguing with great gusto with Ino, Neji, Kiba and Sakura. The words were angry and at the point of breakout at any moment. The argument was about Naruto.

"You drove him away and he was a good friend!" Ten-Ten shouted. "Plus, Sasuke felt that he had to go and watch him now! That's two of our most powerful rookies you got rid of bitch!"

"Shut up!" yelled Sakura. "He didn't need any compassion! He was the Kyuubi!"

"You moron," said Shikamaru. "He was a container not the Kyuubi itself. I thought even you could've seen that, regardless of your stupidity."

"Sakura-san is right," said Neji. "Naruto Uzamaki was destined to be banished, as he should've been. Demons have no reason to be here."

"Your cold bastard!" Choji said. "You don't even remember what he did for you all. He would've died for every one of us."

"Bullshit!" shouted Ino. "That boy was a prankster and a demon from the start! He just wanted Sakura for his urges and whenever she rejected him what did he do? Go and moan and cry about it! Then after she got mad because he tried to kill Sasuke he promises to kill her one day!"

"IT'LL BE GOOD RIDDANCE!" shouted Lee loudly. "SAKURA-SAN DESTROYED NARUTO'S FLAMES OF YOUTH! HE WAS A MOST CHALLENGING OPPONENT! ALSO, THE FACT THAT HE HAD SO MUCH YOUTHFUL ENERGY TO HOLD BACK A DEMON SHOULD'VE BEEN GREAT INSPIRATION TO US ALL!"

Ino leapt at Lee angrily with a kick. Shikamaru and Lee quickly jumped into action. The three quickly moved off into a small two-on-one battle. Then Neji leapt at Ten-Ten and thrust his fist at her. She leapt up in the air and threw several kunai at him. Neji quickly used rotation to stop the kunai and fling them back. Sakura charged at Choji, who beat her back with an arm expansion jutsu. Shikamaru trapped Ino in his Shadow possession and Lee leapt at her. She caught him with her mind transfer, and Shikamaru swore.

"Dammit, now how am I going to get her!"

Neji leapt at Ten-Ten with his fist drawn back to strike her and she threw two shiriken and a knife at him. He had to use another rotation to block it. Sakura ran at Choji with her kunai out and at the ready. Choji rolled to the right twice and then hit her with another expansion jutsu. Shikamaru ran at Ino's body, and threw a kunai at it. Lee's body leapt in the way and Shikamaru possessed it and made him jump out of the way. The knife didn't kill Ino, but it did hit her in the shoulder and cause her to pass out. As Shikamaru expected, her mind soon left Lee's body.

Ten-Ten jumped and threw four more weapons at Neji. He nimbly avoided them. He crouched down to use his eight trigrams stance. Ten-Ten quickly threw a ball and chain at him and Neji was forced to dodge it. Choji had Sakura pinned to a tree and Shikamaru took some long string and tired her up throughly with it. Then they all went to help Ten-Ten with Neji.

"Give up," said Shikamaru. "Your outnumbered now."

"It doesn't matter!" said Neji. "I'm the pride of the Hyuuga! I can take you all!"

"Really?" asked Shikamaru smirking.

Just then Neji saw that he was in Shikamaru's jutsu. He swore and tired to move as Ten-Ten tied him up and dropped him back at the Hyuuga manner. When Shikamaru released him Neji used rotation and ran at his former friend, intending to kill. Suddenly, Kakashi stood in front of Ten-Ten, holding Neji's arm calmly.

"Those who disobey orders are trash, but those who abandon their friends are far worse then that. That is something my genin rookies knew before you. Well I suppose I just thought they knew it. Sakura betrayed Naruto, think about her situation."

"She chose the right path."

Kakashi sighed and kicked Neji hard. Neji spat out blood and stood up, facing the scarecrow ninja.

"Has your blindness gone so far as to make you fight your own Hokage?" asked Kakashi.

"My eyes see more then your Sharigan." replied Neji.

He activated his bloodline and Kakashi quickly knocked him out. Then he set the young boy on the stair and leapt off in front of Sakura, who was still tied to the try and quite pissed off about it. She was showing it too. She stopped shouting almost automatically as Kakashi dropped in front of her.

"Why?" he asked.

"He's a demon." she answered.

It was the same every time they met. He would ask the question and she would give her answer. This time however, instead of jumping off like he normally would, Kakashi continued the conversation. Taking it farther and deeper than Sakura wanted to go.

"I watched your tenth birthday Sakura," he said simply. "There was a reason I never trained Naruto, it was because I couldn't bear it. He is a stronger man then that. To train someone stronger then that, that's murder. To admit he's stronger is no big deal. To admit he's strong and then train him was a shame I couldn't face. You know why I think Naruto is strong? Let me tell you a little story. When Naruto was still ten and you were turning eleven I was his sort of background protection. Although, I must admit I did a damn shitty job of it."

"Anyway, Naruto had received his beating from the mob already. He had a broken arm and several broken ribs. It wasn't a pretty thing to see. The bone had broken the skin and was poking out. The blood around him was all his own, and there was enough of it to fill several large gallons with it. He stood up and trudged off to a jewelry shop. He took out a wallet and dropped all the money on the counter. He bought a glass figure. It was just a goose, nothing special. I wondered what he thought he was doing."

"I saw that the Kyuubi was slowly healing him and then he ran off to your place. When he got there you were giving Sasuke the puppy dog eyes. He offered you his present for your birthday and what did you do? Not even a thank you, you just hit him and told him you weren't interested. When you turned to go back inside you hit him in the face with it and it shattered. Shattered, not just broke. Do you know how long he sat outside your house trying and trying to repair that damned thing? Ten hours, Sakura."

"You knew it too, because every half-hour or so your friends would peek out and laugh or yell at him for being a stalker. When he finally did give up on it, he walked home to find his apartment had been set on fire again. He didn't pity himself. What did he do? Lay down to sleep and then go out to greet you again in the morning. You merely asked him to go away because you never got the puppy had wanted. Then what did he do? Go around town for three hours grabbing spare yen and buy you the damn dog.

The you shouted that it was a mutt and you hated him. You are not only worse then trash Sakura, you aren't even human."

Several weeks later, Naruto had replayed the moment Kakashi was describing in his head over and over. Then he thought about all the other times Sakura had hit him. She had beat him, punched him, hurt him and finally, tried to kill him. Naruto remembered his promise to kill her and grinned. In five years, maybe a few more, he would have his revenge on her, and the power to show everyone that they ought not to have banished him. Then they would take him back with open arms. A thought struck Naruto.

He looked over at Temari. What would she do when he came back? Just come back to Kohona with him? Why hadn't they thought this out?

"Oh well," he whispered so he didn't wake her up. "I ask her before I leave."

Of course, that meant it would happen soon, as he was leaving tomorrow night.


	12. Three Years Later

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 12: Three Years Later

Three long years had passed from the time that Naruto had left with Jiyria. He wasn't allowed to write to anyone, because Jiyria didn't want him distracted. Naruto had changed a fair amount from the way he used to be. He didn't wear a jumpsuit, but a black shirt with the symbols for Sand and Leaf side-by-side. His hair had lengthened a little, but still ignored the law of gravity and stuck in every way it could. His figure was slim and he had lost any baby fat he would've had.

At sixteen he looked much stronger and more experienced then he should've been. His eyes were pained and they showed a hell. He was quieter then he had been. He wore a white cloak with flames on the cuffs and bottom of it. It was just like his fathers, and Naruto knew it. His pants were white and wrapped up from the mid-shin down. Then he also wore black ninja sandals. Of course his katana, Spirit, and dagger, Scar, were both still strapped to him. Jiyria and he were an amazing team.

Yet, the new Naruto came with the price of his attitude. He was still the boy who would stand up for what he believed in, but he didn't yell at perverts all the time. Hell, he didn't even call Jiyria a pervert anymore. At first it had been nice, but then Jiyria understood why Tsunade actually missed being called grandma Tsunade. She had grown used to it and liked it. Jiyria did too. Naruto was an extremely strong Shinobi, well above chunnin level. Suddenly, said ninja crouched down and held up a hand.

Jiyria froze and Naruto examined something in the dirt.

"Fresh tracks. Wooden. Claw-like endings, so I'm guessing a puppet. No less then a half-hour old, no more then two hours old. There aren't any human prints either, so I'm guessing that the man is incased in his puppet. It could be our target. What do you want to do, sensei?"

Jiyria held his hand to his chin and thought. Then he threw his hand forward to signal a go and the two vanished. Naruto was, by now, keeping Jiyria in shape by making him keep up. Naruto never ran out of chakra and if they ever did stop it wasn't for the blonde's sake. Jiyria marveled at how good the boy was at tracking. If he wasn't such an aggressive or outright fighter he could be one hell of a hunter-nin. Naruto sniffed the air and suddenly changed course. Jiyria had to stop and turn properly to make the change.

Naruto had caught this person's smell. Now there was no getting away. It took them another hour to reach the target. When they did, they stopped in a small bush that was near the man. Both spiky haired men had to apply chakra to the souls of their feet so as not to make sound. They landed quietly in the brush and Naruto glanced at the man. He looked at the Sannin who nodded. Naruto pulled out his katana and his dagger, and then swore as the dagger made a small _ring._

Sasori spun around and Naruto used the replacement jutsu quickly. He appeared behind the man and ran at him. Sasori hit Naruto with his tail and he disappeared into smoke. It was a shadow clone. Naruto then appeared from above. Sasori made to block with his tail and his face took on a great look of shock was the dagger went clean through the tail. He leapt back and Jiyria ran at him then slammed his hands into the ground. Sasori started when he appeared to be in the belly of a toad.

"Dammit! I don't have time to play with you right now!" he said.

Naruto ran at him, sheathing his dagger. Sasori swung, sending two puppets flying at him, quick as light. Naruto threw his katana at Sasori and brought his hands up in front of his face in the style of the rat seal. Sasori's eyes widened slightly and Naruto waited until the last moment. Sasori caught the katana by the blade and Naruto acted.

"Spirit: separate!"

The sword shattered for a second and scattered. Each individual shard, even the ones that had been in Sasori's hand, caught the reflection of the sun's light and shined light a Sakura tree pedal. It was a move of utter wonder and beauty to any artist. Sasori was almost spellbound. Almost. He ran at Naruto and Naruto's hands changed to the horse sign. Sasori took a small moment of shock and looked at him. Naruto smirked a little.

"Spirit: shred!"

Suddenly the shards of the blade began to whirl around Sasori at incredibly high speeds. Then they cut him. They broke through the robe, the shell of his puppets, his scrolls, everything. He was unchanged as the blade reformed and flew back to Naruto's hand. Naruto eyes widened a little. Sasori removed his robe and hat, the crouched down on all fours.

"I see," said Naruto. "Your incased in a puppet then aren't you?"

"Smart kid, I'll enjoy killing you."

Naruto sprinted forward then disappearing in smoke. Then he appeared above Sasori, chidori in hand. The move Naruto was using wasn't the fourth's flying God move. It was just using a bunch of shadow clones and the replacement jutsu. Naruto came down at Sasori who jumped to dodge. Naruto was suddenly gone and then behind him with another puff of smoke. He slammed the chidori into Sasori's shell of a body. Sasori cursed as a crack appeared in the armor.

"Dammit. Your quick kid. I'll give you that."

Naruto formed a shadow clone and ran at Sasori, creating the resengan. Sasori dodged it, though narrowly. Then he heard cracking wood and turned around to see Jiyria slamming another resengan into his back. The shell broke and fell off. Sasori tiredly pulled off any remains of it with his chakra. He had never felt his outclassed. It was time these two bastards die. He ran at Naruto, who could not dodge quickly enough to avoid getting run through by a hidden knife.

"That it?" asked Naruto. "It won't do anything to me."

"I assume you didn't noticed that this blade is dipped in a lethal poison."

"No, I knew," said Naruto "Poison doesn't affect me anymore then a small cut. Kyuubi heals any injury I get. He can also take any poison out of my system. I never thought there would be so many advantages to having this beast within me."

"Maybe you aren't affected," said Sasori, angrily. "But your teacher isn't as lucky."

Sasori made a move to attack Jiyria. Naruto leapt in front of Jiyria and the sword glanced off of his shoulder. The pain hit him a little, and then the cut healed. Naruto kicked out high and caught Sasori in the breastbone. The puppet went flying back.

"I see," said Naruto. "Your just completely a puppet aren't you?"

Sasori held out four scrolls and summoned hundreds of puppets. A small patch opened up where his right lung would've been. Instead only several cords of chakra came out and connected to the creatures, whom suddenly moved with life. Naruto cursed and quickly formed the hand signs ram, snake, ox, dog, hare, monkey, snake. Then slammed his hands into the ground as red chakra poured out of him.

"Earth style: earth explosion." called Naruto.

The ground around Sasori's puppets flew up into the earth and Naruto quickly formed more hand seals.

"Wind style: focused gusts!"

High blasts of wind slammed against the hovering groups of earth. It went and slammed a lot of the puppets. They were crushed underneath the earth, and their wooden frames exploded and were sent flying into several of the trees and other such things at random points.

"I can do this over and over. I have a lot of chakra. In fact you might call it _unlimited._"

Sasori's expression didn't change, but the feeling of killer intent increased. Naruto's stance changed ever so slightly. He was prepared to change to an offensive style. Jiyria moved to attack and met Naruto's steady arms. He looked at his steady apprentice.

"Sasori. I've only ever said this once before, but believe me when I say, that if you touch my sensei... _I'll kill you..._"

On the last three words, Naruto's voice took on an icy deadly tone, and his eyes flashed to crimson. Jiyria knew just what Naruto was talking about. He had said that same phrase to a traitor who had tried to kill his first sensei, and his first friend, Iruka. That Naruto would compare him to Iruka filled Jiyria up with emotion.

"Naruto," said the Sannin. "I'm more of a hindrance then a help when it comes to poisons. I'm going to go back to the town. I'll meet you there."

Naruto nodded and Jiyria ran off. He heard a small noise, and felt the needle skim his arms. Naruto's eyes widened and turned a complete lustful red. He ran at Sasori and hit him quickly. Sasori didn't feel any pain, but the impact made it so he couldn't react right away. Before he could, Naruto hit again. Then he struck again, and again, and again. Before Sasori knew what had happened, Naruto had stabbed him in the chest with his sword, Spirit. Then Naruto made the rat symbol.

"Spirit: separate."

Then he switched to dragon.

"Spirit: Shred!"

Sasori didn't stand a chance of survival. After Naruto had put the katana back together and sheathed it, he ran back to his sensei. He ripped off the part of Jiyria's robes where the needle had skimmed him. Then Naruto went and began to suck out the poison. Jiyria's eyes widened. He knew Naruto couldn't die from poison, but it did affect him. It slowed his reactions and put him in enormous pain. Naruto spit out a large mass of purple venom on the ground then started sucking on Jiyria's arm again.

After half-an-hour, Naruto was convinced Jiyria would be ok and lead him back to the town. Then when Jiyria went to the hospital, Naruto collected their pay. Sasori had been a hard opponent. He'd been the most skilled foe they'd ever faced, save Itachi. Yet he hadn't had time to raise any proper defense or offense, which was probably the reason they had even won the fight. Naruto walked slowly, calmly. He wasn't in any hurry to get anywhere. The people in the streets turned their heads to see him.

The eyes weren't narrowed in hate or cruelty. They were wide with wonder, with joy, with praise. In their midst was a great warrior who feared nobody. It was said he was a war God. It was said he couldn't be killed. It was said he was stronger then all three of the legendary Sannin. This wasn't all true. He wasn't a god, but he was an incredible fighter, practically ANBU. He wasn't invincible, but damn hard to kill. He wasn't stronger then Jiyria, but he could give the old man a run for his money if he had to.

Naruto gave a small wave and most people smiled and waved back happily. Naruto reached the leader of the village and the old man gave him the money that the duo had been promised. Then he thanked the man and left to go find Jiyria's room. When he got to the hospital he walked slowly through the large entrance. The place was made of marble and held him slightly spell-bound. He loved buildings that looked nice to him. When he got inside he saw that the tiles were all wiped down so they shown at him.

He approved. Then he walked to the guard and tossed the man his two swords and his ninja pouch. Then he took off his leg strap and handed that over as well. He walked over slowly to the nurse and what he saw stunned him so much that he couldn't move for a full ten seconds. Those eyes... Naruto took her appearance in and then walked slowly up to the line. It moved so slowly that he was slightly irritated. When he finally got to the front of the incredibly long line he simply stared at the girl behind the counter.

"Yes how can I help you?" she asked.

"I'm looking for Jiyria-sama." he said calmly.

"Oh, he-- NO! N-Naruto! NO! It-- it can't be you! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

Sakura Haruno stood in front of Naruto after three years of not seeing or hearing from her.


	13. The Student has Surpassed the Master

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 13: The Student has Surpassed the Master

Naruto stood calmly as Sakura shook with fear. Then he reached up slowly and touched her cheek. She shivered and tears fell from her eyes. Naruto stroked her cheek, almost lovingly. Her eyes made contact with her's, and she could see he was still upset. He was still mad. He was still downright pissed at her. He couldn't ever forgive her for what she had done.

"I'm not going to kill you just yet. You have another ten hours to live, Sakura. In exactly that amount of time, you _will_ report to training ground seven, where we used to train."

Sakura nodded weakly. His voice was so strong, so commanding that she dare not disobey. Naruto turned to another nurse as though nothing had happened, as though his old crush's life wasn't in danger. Sakura considered running, and knew she wouldn't, because he would've found her.

"So," said Naruto. "What room is Jiyria-sama in?"

He got up and went to the room the nurse told him. Again, he took time to admire the lovely place. Everything was good and clean. His shoes made no noise as the slowly traveled down the long hallway. His cloak flagged out behind him, a banner announcing his arrival. Naruto walked into the room and Jiyria sat up quickly.

"Ready to go?" asked Naruto.

"Sure. Just get me a drink."

"Yes sensei."

Naruto grabbed the water jug and pour some into a cup, which he handed Jiyria. The older man thanked him and pretty soon they headed out. The sun had barely set over the trees and looked wonderful. Naruto was strapping his katana on when he spoke again.

"So, guess who I met today?"

"Who?"

"The Haruno girl."

"And?"

"She dies in... nine hours and fifty minutes."

"Do you have a move picked out?"

"Yes," said Naruto. "My Spirit: shard shred. It's ironic. Her death shall look like Sakura petals."

They were within the borders of fire country. In fact, they were very near Kohona. This was no mistake on the part of either man. It was intended. The approached the leaf village's great wonderful gates. Naruto walked forward and the ANBU walked in front of him.

"HALT! What is your duty in the village hidden in the leafs?"

"We are old friends of Hokage-sama," said Naruto calmly.

"Prove it," said the cocky ANBU.

Naruto paused and thought deeply.

_What would Kakashi tell me to do in this situation? Look underneath the underneath, and teamwork were the two things he always lectured us on. Let's see... the only teammate here is Jiyria, and he's my sensei, not a teammate. Plus, there's nothing with him I can prove, except his books, but I don't think that's what Kakashi would... oh I see._

"It's been a while... Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi tore off the ANBU mask. He looked a lot like he had so many years ago. His hair was a little closer to gray then white now though. Lines had begun to appear on his brow. Kakashi was slightly aging. Naruto smirked a little when Kakashi spoke. He was glad he had covered his face in a hood. This could be fun.

"So, if you really are a student of mine, which are you?"

Naruto formed the four signs for chidori and it sprang to life in his hand. Kakashi's one eye visibly widened.

"S-Sasuke?"

"I'm hurt sensei. You don't remember me any more?"

Naruto removed the hood.

"N-N-Naruto. Naruto! It's good to see you."

Kakashi embraced him. Then examined him slowly up and down. Naruto allowed it. He knew the shock of his appearance alone was shocking. Add his change in clothing and weapons and it wasn't even really the same person anymore.

"Your father would be proud of you if he could see you Naruto," said Kakashi.

"He can," said Naruto. "He is one of the stars that watches over me. Along with Sarutobi and... Hinata."

Kakashi backed up and looked Naruto in the eyes. He knew what Naruto wanted, a spar. He wanted to face part of his past. He wanted to know if he could learn anything from the scarecrow ninja. Kakashi removed his hat and cloak and gestured to the training ground. Naruto removed his cloak.

"So, everything goes?" asked Kakashi.

"Come at me with the intent to kill," said Naruto.

"Same to you."

They leapt at each other at the same time. Kakashi drew a kunai and Naruto drew Scar. The dagger cut the kunai in half and narrowly missed Kakashi's face. Naruto spun and formed blurred hand signs. Kakashi lifted his headband and his Sharigan flashed. Naruto slammed both hands into the ground.

"Earth dragon!"

A beast of earth rose up at Naruto's command. The dragon flew at Kakashi as some dirt and mud fell off of it from the high speeds. Naruto leapt on it and drew his katana. Kakashi formed hand signs and shot fire at the beast, killing it. Naruto leapt off and threw the sword at Kakashi.

"Spirit: Separate!!"

The several shards caught the sunlight and shown to all the spectators like Sakura pedals. Naruto used Shadow clone jutsu and ran around Kakashi in a circle with them. They were no more then a blur. Kakashi jumped and dodged a blow from Naruto. Naruto built a resengan and ran at Kakashi, who was almost hit. He hit Naruto in the back of the head and Naruto vanished in smoke. Naruto put his hands up in the ram seal and his sword turned back into a katana. Then he held his hands up in the dog sign.

"Spirit: string!"

The katana turned into something that resembled a whip, save that it had a shard of sword every few inches. Naruto leapt at Kakashi and started to swing that blade repeatedly at his old sensei. Kakashi used his armband to block blow after blow. Nevertheless, he was getting tired. Naruto could see the fatigue in the man. He could smell the sweat that coated Kakashi's brow and underarms. He could hear the rapid breaths the man gave off after he took impact from the sword.

Naruto leapt up and kicked down at him. Kakashi flipped over and did the shadow clone jutsu. Naruto swore and preformed it himself to do his version of Hiraishin, which was the shadow clone replacement maneuver. Naruto ran at one who turned out to be a clone. Kakashi and his other clone ran at Naruto who replaced himself with a clone above Kakashi and he stabbed the clone in the back of the head. It disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakashi turned to hit Naruto, who vanished in smoke.

"You've gotten good with your clones Naruto. You're using them for a sort of Hiraishin, huh?"

"As quick as ever aren't you Kakashi?'

Naruto ran at him again and moved quickly from side to side to try and surprise him. Kakashi could still use that Sharigan of his. Naruto knew surprising him wouldn't work. He needed to be so fast that Kakashi couldn't stop it even if he could see it. Naruto smirked as he drew his katana again.

"Spirit: Separate!"

Yet again the blade shattered to reflect the sun and rush around Kakashi in circles.

"Spirit: SHRED!"

The blades rushed at the scarecrow ninja so fast the disappeared from even the Sharigan's visibility. Naruto leapt up and as the attack was finishing, leaving Kakashi bleeding heavily, Naruto came down at him with a resengan. Naruto stopped just short of killing and splattering Kakashi all over the walls of Kohona. Kakashi looked up at his old student, with shock.

"I have nothing more I can teach you Naruto. I wasn't holding back at all in that fight."

"I know," said Naruto. "Neither was I."

Naruto held down his hand to help Kakashi up, who took it.

"You've always been one of my precious people Kakashi-sensei."

Kakashi smiled at him, though Naruto could only see the famous 'eye smile'. Naruto went to sit down on the log that he had, so long ago now, been tied to. His memories overtook him. He could see Sasuke offering him some food. He could see Sasuke catching him before he fell off of a waterfall. Then something hit him. Sakura had never once done anything for him. It had always been for Sasuke. Sakura had never really accepted him.

He could remember the day he was run through by Orochimaru's agent to save her. He could remember the day he had near killed himself fighting Gaara to save her. He could remember the day he had tackled a snow ninja that was far more skilled then himself to save her. Never once had he gotten a thank you even. It was always Sasuke. Naruto felt his face scrunch up a little in anger. She had never once given a damn about him. Why would she? He was the Kyuubi after all.

Naruto tossed his head down in shame. He was thinking of Temari, again. She was always in his thoughts or at least in the back of his mind. He loved her a lot, but he didn't know what to do. He was a demon, the Kyuubi. What if he lost control? What if he couldn't stop himself? No. That wouldn't happen. He would make sure. He got up and then pulled out his dagger. He gripped his dagger tightly and stabbed himself in the temple.

The world swirled sickeningly before his eyes. He felt the blood leak into his eyes and he blinked twice. Tears leaked from his eyes. It was painful, but Kyuubi wasn't appearing. Instead the seal on his stomach glowed a cherry hot red. He felt something leaking out of him. It wasn't chakra. It was like it was the presence of another person, and essence almost. Naruto could feel his head heal and the he could see clearly. What he saw scared him.

A figure of pure red power was appearing. Naruto yelled and the man turned. He had nine long flowing tails coming out from behind him. He had ears that peaked out of his blood red hair. His eyes haunted any who could dare to look into them. Naruto dared. Kyuubi stood before him. Weakened and in human form maybe, but Kyuubi no Kitsune nonetheless. Naruto swore.

"DAMMIT! I thought sensei sealed you for good! I'm done with sealing you! I'm going to kill you here and now! I hope your ready you king of hell!"

**"Ah, hello Kit,"** said the Kyuubi. **"Your still far too weak for me to even bother knowing you exist! How dare you challenge the King of Demons!"**

Naruto quickly formed the resengan and slammed it into the Kyuubi. The beast didn't even seem to know he was hit. The attack did no damage. Naruto made a chidori and a resengan then slammed the two together. Kyuubi had been making a habit of appearing in this weakened human form when he could, but Jiyria had always been around to quickly seal him back in. Now Naruto was lost, fighting Kyuubi. Naruto ran hard to the beast.

"CHIDORESENGAN!"

**"That's the energy I remember from you, Kit."**

Naruto slammed his attack into Kyuubi. Then he spun and hit him with the katana. Nothing damaged him. Naruto leapt back and sheathed the blade. The Kyuubi smiled a little. Naruto thought and then drew the dagger. Kyuubi's eyes widened a little.

**"It's about time you think Kit. Do your worst."**

Naruto drew his katana and did the rat seal.

"Spirit: Separate!"

He ran at Kyuubi and swung the special dagger several times at the beast. Kyuubi's speed made Naruto miss several times over. He tired to leap farther away and the blade shards cut into his back, halting him. Naruto's face flashed in a grin.

"Not up to your usual strength when you get out, are you Kyuubi?"

**"Kami damn you Kit. Your damn jutsu you put on me last time works. I'll give you that much at least, you bastard."**

Naruto had been training under Jiyria for three years and was damn near a master of seals. He had managed to put a cursed seal on Kyuubi, though not in the meaning of Orochimaru's mark. He made it so that if Kyuubi ever did leave the seal, it would instantly weaken him tremendously. Naruto ran at Kyuubi and swung at him with the dagger. As Kyuubi opened his arms and welcomed the return to his power, Sakura came walking over the hills.

She watched as Naruto fought and stabbed the demon. Then she watched and saw Naruto writhe in pain when Kyuubi returned to his seal. She had heard the demonic voice from far off. Naruto yelled in pain and then held up dagger. She could hear his soft voice. It was soft, sad and painful. It was a voice of a man who had finally given up after giving it all he had. Naruto held the dagger up to his neck as he spoke to himself.

"The dagger that can cut anything... If I die, so does Kyuubi... I will defend the people I love no matter what."

Naruto's grip on the dagger doubled and he gulped. Naruto took in a deep breath. It was the breath one takes before they jump over the side of a bridge that leads to certain death. Naruto gripped the dagger and swung quickly at his own neck. Sakura moved to stop him, but a shadow flashed past her and slammed into Naruto. He reached up and punched Naruto hard across the face. Naruto spat out blood and looked at the man.

"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND WHY DO YOU HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF MY BROTHER!"

"Brother? S-Sasuke!?"


	14. Already Said it Once

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 14:

Already Said it Once

"HOW ARE YOU?!" asked Sasuke.

"It's me! Naruto!"

"Bullshit," said Sasuke. "Naruto would never, ever try and kill himself no matter the reason. He would stand and fight anything."

"THAT'S THE ONLY TO FIGHT IT!" yelled Naurto. "You don't know what it's like to fight something that lives inside you!"

Sasuke grabbed Naruto by the neck and slammed him into the tree. Then he turned and showed Naruto the back of his neck. There was a scar where Orochimaru's cursed mark had been back all those years ago. It would always scar him.

"Don't tell me what it's like to fight something inside of you! Naruto. Your my brother. I care about you. Temari, Iruka, Kakashi, Gaara, Kankuro, all the people here who care about you! Why would you do that! You said this same thing to me at the valley of the end. Only you don't have any interest in power, not like I did."

"I did for you! I can't control it! If it gets out and I can't stop it--"

"Naruto! You will stop it. I never really wanted to admit it in the genin days, but if there was ever a ninja that could do anything, it's you. Your the son of three hokages and a fine chuunin teacher. Your the lover of a wonderful woman. Your the brother of both the Kazekage and the last Uchiha. You can do anything."

"Kazekage? You mean Gaara--"

"Yes. He said in his expectance speech that he never could've done anything for the village if it hadn't been for the strongest person he would ever meet, Naruto Uzamaki. It's a sad day indeed if the man I saw out there is him. Naruto please. We care for you."

"Sasuke. I'm sorry. It's just so hard sometimes that I... don't know what I'm supposed to do anymore."

"It's ok, but to tell you the truth, it probably hurt her more then me." said Sasuke.

Naruto turned away from Sasuke with a lot of regret, and saw another person. It wasn't Sakura. It was Temari. Her hair was a little longer then before, but still in the same style. Her clothing was far different too. She had a long sleeved purple shirt with a mid-length skirt below it. She wore a red, sleeveless shirt over the purple one and it had the symbol for fox on it. Naruto smiled and ran to her. She opened her eyes and smiled then ran to him too. Naruto held her tight to him. It was so much like when he had first left.

_"Temari," said Naruto. "I'm probably going to miss you the most of everyone. I love you."_

_"You better come back Naruto or I swear I'm going to kill you."_

_Her voice broke and wavered when she spoke, and he knew she was trying to hold back tears. He reached up and stroked her cheek gently, lovingly. She looked up and saw love in his eyes. She had seen a lot of the false caring he gave people in the attempts to make new friends. He had seen her defensive side she put up against everyone. Yet, she had seen past the false happiness and seen a man who just wanted someone to love. He had seen past the attitude and seen a woman who craved an affection that wasn't false._

_He kissed her longingly. She kissed him back and wrapped her arms around his head. Naruto was about to respond, but Jiyria grabbed him and pulled him away, even though he was screaming that he didn't want to go. Sasuke and Gaara stood there, holding back their emotions with far more difficulty then usual. Sasuke even allowed his face to twitch into a split-second of sadness._

Naruto pulled back a little and kissed her. She responded and closed her eyes slowly. Naruto allowed his to fall closed in a daze. The kiss wasn't hard or lustful. Yet, it held passion and meaning for both of them. Naruto broke it and smiled at her.

"Still love me back then?" he asked softly.

"Maybe, you'll have to kiss me again to make me decide though." she said joking.

Naruto leaned forward and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his head and he around her waist. He licked her lips, begging for entrance. She allowed him in and their tongues met. Carefully, lovingly, Naruto kissed his lover in the old training ground. They broke apart and Temari lay her head in his shoulder.

"I'll take that as a yes." he said.

Temari smiled and Naruto rocked her back and forth gently. Then they felt another's presence and looked up. Gaara stood there, in the Kazekages blue robes and all. Naruto walked over to him slowly. Gaara's eyes met his and he held out his hand slowly. Naruto took it and shook it firmly. Gaara released him and slowly Naruto bowed as a sign of respect. He looked up and saw Gaara shaking his head slowly from side to side. Naruto gave him a confused glance and straightened.

"You will bow before no man, Naruto Uzamaki." he said.

Gaara got down on one knee and kneeled before Naruto. Jiyria came up and smiled at Naruto and signaled that it was time to go. Naruto held up one finger as a signal for a moment. He felt the grass brush against his shin as he ran to Temari. He embraced her deeply.

"I'll come back I promise. It won't be so long either."

"Please, please whatever you do, come back." she whispered in his ear.

Naruto turned around and walked slowly up the hill to where Sakura sat sobbing. She looked up at Naruto and saw the disgust and the hate in his eyes. He drew his katana and all noise was cut out from Sakura's world. She could see him, but couldn't hear as he spoke.

"Sakura Haruno. I hereby execute you for accidental murder and intended murder. Goodbye, Sakura-_chan._"

Naruto moved, quick as a flash and slammed his blade through Sakura. Blood flung from both her gut and her mouth. She coughed some blood up onto Naruto's face. He felt it slowly ooze down his body. It was smooth, like silk, yet liquid. He reached up and slowly wiped it off. His movements were slow and controlled. Sakura's were quick and like a seizure.

"N-Nar... Naruto... please... L-love me... again."

"I tried that once. Never again."

Naruto formed the rat sign and the blade shattered again. Each individual shard caught the reflection of the moonlight, and turned pink. They seemed something of utter peace and beauty as they slammed through her body over and over again. Naruto put the katana together and pulled it out of her body.

"Goodbye, Sakura Haruno."

Naruto turned back to get a last look at his friends and walked with his back turned to Kohona for another two whole years. Temari had tears in her eyes. Sasuke had his face cast at the ground. Gaara's was hidden underneath his hat.

"So, you ready to go kid?"

"Not yet. Two more people I must see before I go. That is, if you will let me Jiyria-sensei. I know you must regret all the training I've lost today."

"Go ahead."

Naruto leapt off to the old academy. He could see everything was just as it always was. The swing was still hanging off the tree. The playground didn't have a single thing missing. Naruto walked in calmly. The hallways were far smaller then he remembered. He sometimes looked into classrooms and saw people who were incredibly young. Finally after many rooms. He peeked into one and saw his favorite chuunin instructor. Naruto knocked on the door lightly.

"Come in." said Iruka. "How can I help-- NARUTO!?"

Naruto grinned a little, and Iruka ran up to embrace him. Naruto returned the gesture and Iruka backed off then looked at him. He nodded up and down in approval several times. Naruto grinned and knew Iruka approved of him before he'd even spoken.

"You look like you've been doing well Naruto. So are you back to stay yet?"

"Three more years Iruka-sensei. Tell me, have you seen Tsunade-sama? I want to go get ramen with her and you, so we can catch up. I leave tonight."

Iruka nodded and the pair walked through the long hallways to see if they could dig Tsunade up somewhere. They finally did find the woman, half-drunk at a gambling bar. She had red in her eyes, which meant she had been crying, and often. Before they had found her, Iruka had given Naruto a warning.

"I'll have to tell you Naruto, Tsuande isn't the same after you left. She breaks down a lot and crys out that you were her connection to life. So, when you see her, she might jump you and hug you or something like that. Just wanted you to know."

When they walked up to her, Tsunade took one look at Naruto then tackled him to the ground, hugging him tightly.

"Naruto. I'm so glad to see you! Please call me Obaa-chan. Insult me, say something obnoxious! Please."

"Tsunade-sama?" asked Naruto. "Are you feeling ok? I think you might be a little drunk already."

He could see that he had disappointed her in some way. He shook his head a little and moved to correct what he had said.

"Would you like to come get some ramen with us, Tsunade-obaa-chan?"

Tsunade grinned and placed an arm around him. He lead the way as they walked through the village. As Naruto walked he could keep seeing flashes of all his beatings. He could see poisonings, beatings and near deaths. He grinned a little.

_One day, _he thought_. One day I'll show them all what I can do, by becoming their hokage._

Naruto sat in a chair at the ramen stand as the wonderful smell washed over him. The man behind the counter and his daughter grinning happily at the sight of their best costumer. Naruto smiled and ordered three bowls of beef ramen. As he sat Shikamaru, Choji, Lee, Ten-Ten and Shino sat down next to him. Naruto turned to them and his grin grew, then shrank.

"Where's the others? Ino, Kiba and Neji?"

"They... don't want to be around you anymore."

"Yeah, I thought that might happen. I'm glad I still got you guys. I promise you guys. In just another three years, I'll come back ok?"

The others all looked at him and nodded. Naruto finished his noodles and talked with his small family. He thought about it and could see that it had grown. Now he had Shino, Shikamaru, Ten-Ten, Tsunade, Iruka, Kakashi, Lee, Choji, Jiyria, Gaara, Hinata's memory, Kankuro and most of all, Temari. It wasn't too bad for him. Naruto grinned as he left. It was late into the night when Naruto found Jiyria in the bathhouse. They both packed up quickly and turned around so they could leave.

Naruto would never see this place again for another long arc of time. They walked in perfect order. Jiyria was old and had several wrinkles. His large build had a slouch to it. Nevertheless he was a sign of strength and pride in and of himself. His very presence said power. He looked as though he could take on an army. Beside the white-haired man was his student. Naruto was Jiyria's protage. Naruto was his pride and joy. They had gained a deeper bound then that of Gai and Lee.

Naruto was still young, with many decades of years ahead of him. His eyes were already pained. His face was smoothed and unbroken by either age or scars of battle. Naruto walked as though he could take on the whole world. He was confident. He was so young, in his way, and so scarred at the same time. Jiyria turned to Naruto and placed a loving hand on the shoulder of his favorite student. Naruto smiled and walked off, and away from Kohona. The sun was just starting to peek up over the oh so distant hills.


	15. Two Years Later

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 15:

Two Years Later

A/N: Thank you all so kindly for reviewing, well most of you anyway. I just want you to know that when the school season kicks up again I won't be able to update as often, yeah yeah, boo-hoo. I give you a chapter almost every day! Merry Christmas all, which I'll probably say again next time.

This chapter is dedicated to my apprentice, DeepThoughtsX.

The sand on the ground shifted slightly in the wind. The full moon shone brightly in the dead of the cold, still night. No clouds obstructed the moonlight. No birds flitted past to break the other sound patterns that were echoing through the air. Yet there was noise, and movement. Two single figures were silhouetted by the moon which shone brightly behind them. One was laying on the ground, his white hair matted with blood. His normal set of brightly colored clothing was deep red.

He had been run through clear to the other side with long katana. If you were to look, you could see that the organs of the body were still trying to repair themselves. It didn't do any good though, the man was long dead. The other figure was a blonde haired youth. He was only eighteen. Tears leaked heavily from his eyes and spilled onto the ground. His face was contorted in pain. His long cloak was also sprayed across with blood. The black shirt and set of pants he wore were dirty and ripped in several places.

Naruto was sobbing over Jiyria's dead body. They had hit Orochimaru just last afternoon. The battle had been fierce, bloody and horrible. Naruto and Jiyria had finally gained the upper hand before Orochimaru had summoned his army of sound ninja to horribly injure Jiyira. He had died in favorite student's arms.

_"Naruto. Promise me. Promise me that you... that you will become hokage. You need to show them... that they weren't right. That you aren't worthless. Your probably wondering why I'm saying all this. The thing is, I was the dead-last of my c-class just like you. Everyone called me... worthless and a loser. You are so much like me that it's scary. I was off... offered the position of ho-hokage you know. I r-refused because... I couldn't... face them... the ones who hated me. S-show them... that they are wrong, Naruto."_

With those final words, all breath had left Jiyria and he had passed into the world of the non-living. Naruto cradled his body close. His teacher had more wrinkles then he ever had. He was really old for a ninja. He had become so much slower then normal. He had become slower, and weaker. Yet, he had become kinder, and a father figure to Naruto. He had changed a lot in his final hours. It was as though he wanted to right his wrongs by helping Naruto survive.

Naruto had loved Jiyria and now he had lost one of his family. Naruto was filled with boiling rage. His very blood seemed to be boiling. Yet, the boiling didn't stop, and it started to leak out in the form of chakra. Red chakra. Demonic chakra. It formed almost in a second, the demonic fox's cloak. It was a large amount of red chakra that surrounded Naruto and made his appearance far more fox-like then ever. He had quickly earned himself three tails of chakra. Then the fourth one slowly peaked out.

Naruto's very skin started to disappear. The cloak, which defended him from outside damage, pained him greatly all the time on the inside. Naruto's blood mixed with the chakra and turned it black. Naruto very soul seemed to be coming from him in little drops. He collaped to the ground and screamed in pain. The yell was something not of this earth. It was pain, sorrow, hate and regret mixed into one sound, something horrible to listen to. He howled. It was a sound that was usually unearthly chilling, but it was far worse then normal from this young man's mouth.

Naruto's stance changed. He dropped down on all fours and moved so quickly that he vanished from sight of the human eye. It took him no more then two minutes to find his target. Orochimaru stood, calmly waiting for Naruto to charge him. Everything happen so quickly. A flash, a spray of blood, a strangled yell in the night. Orochimaru lay one the ground in pain. It was unusual for him to even feel it. Naruto leapt back at him and attacked with his nails. They had lengthened and sharpened so they were more deadly then any kunai.

Orochimaru spun and healed his body. Naruto ran at him and leapt up, using the red chakra to grab the sannin. He quickly pounded Orochimaru to a pulp. The sannin turned to mud and Naruto let out a howl of rage. He kneeled over in overwhelming pain as yet another tail began to appear from behind him. Orochimaru got up again was hit before he could've seen Naruto move. Naruto didn't appear to move even an inch, but cuts and gashes were appearing all over his body.

He barely could get away just after Naruto kneeled over and yelled in pain. Naruto saw the world in front of his face shimmer several times. He felt the world around his leave him as he blacked out and knew that he would wake up in the morning, fully healed. He took too much demonic chakra and his body started to shut down as a safety measure. He woke up around mid-day. His sad eyes took in the land around him and he ran off, back towards Suna, as his training was over.

Naruto didn't even bother to try and find Jiyria to bury. His end had been, as he would say, fitting for a shinobi. Naruto finally caught sight of the city that was so very far away and preformed Hiraishin. There was a bright flash the momentary sent all other object out of view, then a crack like a roll of thunder, and Naruto vanished to reappear quickly at the great gates of Suna. He walked up and waved at the guard who opened the gates.

The village didn't seem any different from before. Every building was in place. The sky shone bright blue with few clouds to block the streaming sunlight. Naruto felt the sand crunch and give a little underneath his sandals. He walked slowly, trying to recall where he was supposed to go from memory. Finally, he found his old home. He opened the door and walked in. A bowl of ramen was sitting on the table as though it had been there for hours.

It was long cold by now, but Naruto thought of something. For there to be ramen, someone must have cooked it. He turned slowly and saw Temari. She was a beautiful as ever. He walked to her as though it was a dream and if he react too quickly it would vanish. She wore a black fishnet set with a short black dress that reached her mid-thigh. She had her large fan strapped to her back and the symbol for the sand village was on her chest.

"Hello Naruto, I like the new look."

Her voice was more mature now, she was a full woman now and looked stunning. She looked Naruto up and down and then blushed a little. Naruto now wore two headbands. one on his forehead, which was his sand headband, and the leaf one right below it on his neck. He wore a black cloak with flames on the cuffs and end. His black shirt and pants were both the same shade and had no symbol.

Naruto walked slowly to her and pulled her into a long and loving kiss. Temari almost fell over backwards. She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him in closer to her. She moaned a little in his mouth. Naruto wrapped his arms around her waist and then they broke apart. He rested his chin on top of her head and she dug her face into his chest. She fit her hands under his arms and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"I missed you." she said.

"I thought about you every day." he said in his deep voice.

She broke apart and then tackled him and began kissing him over and over. Naruto laughed a little. It was short, but it was a whole and hearty sound. Then Naruto stopped her and looked her in the eye. She turned her head a little and asked what was wrong.

"My sensei passed away late last night. Orochimaru snuck up on us while we both slept. I became distracted by the Aukutski. I think he made a pact with them. Itachi and Tobi were fighting me. Fighting two Uchiha off wasn't easy because of the their damn sharigan. I couldn't reach him in time. Tobi and Kabuto are dead. Orochimaru got away though. I don't know what happened to Itachi. I went and caught Orochimaru that night. He pushed me into the five tailed state. The pain pushed me past my limit and I blacked out."

Temari held her hand to her lips. Naruto walked over to her and placed a loving hand around her.

"It's ok," he said. "It would've been how he would've wanted to go, in a fight I mean. He was getting on in years. I think though, that he was a fine man. He is one of the four people watching me from up there."

Temari smiled at him, happy for his happiness. Naruto embraced her quickly again. She smiled and lay her head on his shoulder. Naruto looked down and her and placed a loving kiss on her forehead. She blushed a little.

"Still love me then?" he asked joking.

"Yes. So much."

Naruto kissed her lightly again. The in a small flash he drew his katana and was between Temari as a figure walked through the open door. Naruto had one hand up to form seals and his right hand was steady on the handle of the blade. The figure wore a shade that covered his face and a long, white noble's robe. Naruto scowled at the man who removed his hat to show his face. The man smiled a little at Naruto. Naruto let his mouth lay open a little.

"S-Sasuke?"

"Hey, clumsy idiot."

Naruto grinned and walked over to him to slap hands with the Uchiha. Sasuke grabbed his hand and pulled him into a brotherly embrace. Naruto noticed how rough his hands were. They were unlike most hands he knew on children. They were used, and hard. Sasuke was a true worker. Then Naruto broke apart from his brother because a figure in white and blue robes appeared. He too wore a shade, but Naruto could tell who he was quickly because of the Kazekage's symbol.

"Hello, Gaara."

"Naruto Uzamaki. I trust your training was productive."

"Extremely Kazekage-sama."

Gaara's sand reached out and struck at Naruto, but he blocked it with invisible speed.

"Don't call me sama ever again. I told you before. You are a far stronger and better man then I could ever hope to be. You are my friend. You really are the only one who could ever understand how I feel. I owe you my life."

Naruto set his pack down on a rack neatly near the door soon after Gaara and Sasuke left. Temari raised an eyebrow at him. Naruto shrugged and kissed her lightly. She was older, smarter, and more mature now. Yet, she still fell apart whenever he kissed her, she couldn't help it.

"I love you, Naruto-kun."

"I love you too, Temari-hime."

"Naruto... When did you become even remotely romantic?"

"What?" he asked. "Are you complaining?"

"I'm going to hit you if you keep being right all the time like that. It's insulting to me myself."

"There's the girl I fell in love with."

Naruto kissed her again and she wrapped her arms around his chest. Naruto smiled and ran his fingers through her hair and along the back of her neck. She moaned in his mouth and he broke the kiss. She smiled at him.

"I'm glad your back." she said.

"So am I, Temari-hime. So am I."

(End Chapter)

Naruto: Merry Christmas all.

HR: Thanks for stealing the line from anyone else. Go be moody somewhere else.

Naruto: Why would I be moody?

HR: Hinata and Jiyria

Naruto: Sulks.

All: That was mean...

HR: Merry Christmas to all and to all kiss my sweet ass.


	16. The Chunnin Exams!

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 16:

The Chunnin Exams!

Naruto was meditated content in a corner. Outside he could easily hear the wind blowing. He could partcitally feel the individual grains of sand that were picked up by the wind, and carried off through the cold desert night. The pale moonlight that streamed through the open window was just enough light to see someone's outline for most. Yet, Naruto could see everything in great detail as though large bursts of sunlight were streaming in through the window. He walked up slowly and shook Temari.

She turned and looked at him. He kissed her lightly the brow and she sighed. He rolled his eyes. He knew she didn't want to get up, but he wanted to go and wanted to say goodbye first. He scooped her up in his arms. She gave a small squeal and clutched onto him. Naruto smiled.

"If I knew you would hang onto me that hard I would've picked you up hours ago." he joked.

"Naruto! Let me sleep. It's still early."

"I can't," he said. "I'm going to sign up for the chunnin exams first thing this morning. It's insulting to still be a genin at my rank. I should at least be a special jonnin. I'm strong enough to take Orochimaru on head to head! I've killed Akutski members! This is just insulting!"

Temari smiled a little bit and hugged him.

"Naruto, the best thing about you is that when you grow up, you change a lot, and your still the same."

Naruto grinned slightly then kissed her again. She wrapped her arms around him and he set her down on the couch, with her beneath him. Temari licked his lips and begged for entrance. Naruto granted it. Naruto placed his hands on her hips and hugged her closer to him. Temari moaned and pressed closer to him. Then a knock was heard at the door. They broke the kiss angrily. Naruto dashed to the door and opened it hurriedly. It was Sasuke. He shook Naruto's hand.

"Hello, Naruto. I came here to make sure you remembered to sign up for the the chuunin exams. Temari and I are both chunnin for about... a year and a half now."

Then Sasuke saw Naruto's hair which was still ruffled from Temari's hands.

"You just wake up?"

"Something like that." said Naruto.

Naruto sighed and got dressed. He put on a white long-sleeve shirt with red flames on the cuff. His pants were brown and plain. He threw on a tan cloak over it all and added a hood with mask, to cover his face. Over the shirt and under the cloak, Naruto strapped the dagger the to back of his belt with the blade facing his right hand and his sword on his left hip. After he was ready to go Naruto used Hiraishin to get into the gate Sasuke had mentioned. When he arrived it was easy to see he was the oldest shinobi there, save the proctors.

"You look new? From sound village?" asked a new gennin next to him.

"Something like that." said Naruto.

"Well, when did you last take the exams? Or is this your first time?"

"I took it five and a half years ago."

Naruto took a good look at the kid. He couldn't be over thirteen. He had dark hair that stopped at his ears all around in a bowl cut. He had green eyes and a look of determination. Naruto turned away from the boy and listened to the proctor.

"Well you kids, we are changing some of the rules this year. It's every man for himself. We lock you in a room without door or window that you can get to. You will fight until your opponents give up or die. The last ten standing win."

Naruto raised an eyebrow. It would be easier then last time, and yet, he didn't like it. Killing young ones wasn't fun. He knew that he didn't have time to waste. He was due to return to Kohona in another three months. He had to train hard for the Jonnin exams. He hurried and ran into the room the jonnin indicated, and fell. He had more then enough time to change his position to land on his feet calmly with chakra.

Most of the genin didn't. Only three others even landed on their feet, and none of those did it as smoothly as Naruto. Naruto quickly drew his blade and most of the small genin stared up at his impressive figure in fright.

"Surrender or die!" he warned.

Most of the genin did surrender right then and there. Most. There were still about fifty left. They were all so young. Naruto let a moment of grief overtake him. Then he let go and moved in a flash. Nobody could've tracked him. He had nine dead almost instantly. Then he leapt up off the floor and made the floor rise up and squash around twenty. Naruto took an unbelievably quick count. There were exactly twenty seven others left.

Naruto ran forward with his dagger. He leapt up and stabbed one in the brain, then spun and kicked another in the face before crushing him with dirt. Then Naruto leapt and slashed one in the face right through the boy's kunai.

"STOP!" shouted Naruto. "You've seen what I can do. Now unless you all surrender the remaining fourteen needed will die here and now!"

Seventeen quickly ran up and tossed all their weapons at his feet with tears of fear and pain in their eyes. Naruto sighed and sat with the other seven genin. The proctors spoke to them through speaker installments.

"Wow that was unexpected... Now your next test is to find out how to get out of this room. So, just as a warning, the walls aren't as harmless as they seem."

Naruto paused and took a look at his surroundings. They were just like the surrounding of his first chunnin exam. He paused and put his hands together in the same way as Shikamaru used to do whenever thinking of a strategy.

_Ok, let's think. I have all my weapons and gear and seven others. Their abilities, minimal. What did the proctor say? "The walls aren't as harmless as they seem." So something is up with the walls. Normally I would assume that meant that if you stepped on them it would shock you. That would work, but as a ninja I could jump right up and out of the stadium. So that doesn't work. Oh, I see. That's quite cleaver. The room is sideways._

_Normally this would be the wall. But when the dropped us, this wall was enforced with chakra so that we would "fall" on it. So the "Wall" to the left of me is really the floor. That means that there is a spot in the "Sky" which is a door. Yet this isn't genjutsu, or it would've been dispelled already. So it's a kind of moving paint. Yet for there to be a door, that meant one spot must not move. Let's see... There it is. That wasn't too bad._

Naruto turned and walked up the "Wall" and through the door in the "Sky". When he walked through it Temari and Sasuke were there waiting for him. Sasuke walked up to him and clapped him on the shoulder.

"You did well, probably set a record." said a new figure.

It was Gaara. Naruto walked to him slowly and shook his hand. Naruto had learned from Temari that he and he alone was allowed this great honor. Gaara smiled a little. Then he spoke to Naruto in his deeper mature voice.

"It is good to see you, Naruto Uzamaki. I hope you do well in your exams."

"Thank you Kazekage."

Naruto started to bow and caught himself. Gaara eyed him and Naruto shrugged. Then he walked to Temari and kissed her lightly.

"So how long will it take the others?" asked Naruto.

"Not sure," said Sasuke. "It should be over in an hour or so. One of them will get it and blab to the others."

"Can we go get some ramen?"

Gaara had quickly moved to Naruto's side and was tugging on his sleeve. Naruto laughed and followed the Kazekage. They walked through the city streets and Naruto noticed how the people on every side cheered for him and Gaara. They walked calmly to the ramen stand that had become their spot so many years ago and ordered up.

"Twenty bowls between us," said Gaara.

The man's eyes bugged slightly and then he began quickly cooking ramen. Gaara and Naruto each had their first bowl almost instantly, which was just as long as it took to be eaten. The man worked quickly and nervously. Gaara and Naruto finished their bowls in a total of two eating minutes, a record, and turned to go back to the chunnin stadium. They arrived back with Temari and Sasuke with more than enough time to spare.

When all the little genin finally _did _get out, One of the younger genin complained that Naruto had had the chance to go and get food. Naruto looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He recognized him as the genin who had pestered him before the exams. Naruto sighed as the proctor answered.

"If you were hungry you should've gotten out sooner. When you become chunnin you won't have enemies who will wait for you to finish sipping you damn tea before the leap at you to slit you tiny necks. Got it kid?"

The genin shook a little and nodded. They were lead slowly to a large pit of sand. Naruto took quick notice of the fact that it was sinking. They were asked to drop their weapons and Naruto took off his katana and dagger and dropped them with his gear and pouch.

"Here you eight are a team and you must escape the trap."

"What trap?" asked a genin.

"This." said the proctor and they pushed all of them into the sand trap. Almost. Naruto managed to defeat his proctor and wasn't thrown in. He quickly searched his proctor and threw the rope at the other genin and pulled them out. Then the other four proctors charged them. One spat some weird sort of sand onto a genin's foot. It slowly started to spread in much the same way as the cursed seal would've done. Naruto quickly threw his dagger to the genin.

"CUT IT! IT'LL CUT RIGHT THROUGH IT!"

The boy did as he was told and the proctor close to Naruto held up her hand.

"Ok, that's enough. I think we saw all we needed to see. There is only two of you who are worthy of becoming chunnin. Naruto Uzamaki and Yisho Ricto step forward. You two and you two alone are worthy of the chunnin rank."

Naruto and another genin stepped forward. Naruto noticed this other genin was the same one who had been annoying him the whole exam. Naruto raised an eyebrow and turned respectfully towards the proctors.

"Naruto Uzamaki, for outstanding strength, speed, cunning and willingness to get your teammates out of trouble, I declare you of chunnin level."

The man turned to him and pulled out a brand new chunnin vest. Then he turned around and saw several headbands with different colors and lengths. He chose a red one that was the same length as his current one. Naruto bowed before straightening. Then the Kagekaze's voice broke through the crowd.

"Uzamaki! Did I just see you bow?"

"No! No! It was just a form of greeting I swear!" said Naruto franticly.

"That's what I thought," said Gaara. "I've said it several times. You will someday be the strongest shinobi in all these lands, don't you bow ever, to anyone."

"Sorry."

"I'm not mad, I'm... teaching you your future in a way." said Gaara.

Naruto rolled his eyes a little as the boy next to him walked forward to receive his chunnin vest.

"Yisho Ricto, for your skills in teamwork and strength to stand up against stronger foes I declare you a chunnin of Suna."

"Chunnins can belong to villages?" asked Naruto.

"Yes," said Temari. "Most do. Your an exception because your going back to your home sometime soon."

As Temari spoke, the outermost wall of the sand village exploded. Naruto turned and ran off quickly to the sound of the distress. He saw a lot of jonnin and chunnin attacking the sand ninja. What surprised him a little was that they were all _Kohona _jonnin and chunnin. Naruto swore and leapt down when he heard the one of the voices aloud.

The voice said, "Give us back Naruto!"

Naruto ran down and cracked his knuckles. He hit two chunnin in the face. Then he spun and kicked two more leaf ninja in the head. The two fell to the ground, knocked out. Then Naruto sprinted through the crowd and found the commanders.

"No fucking way." he said softly.

It was Shikamaru, Lee, Ten-Ten, Choji and Shino. All his friends were fighting to get him back. He ran up to them and it was Lee's loud, "youthful" voice that stopped the troops fighting. Naruto took in their new looks. Lee wasn't any different save the chunnin vest. Ten-Ten wore a blue komino with white leggings and brown boots, with one large scroll on her back. Shino wore a large trench coat and a hood that hid him and his classic sunglass.

Shikamaru had the normal jonnin attire, save his headband was on his arm and not his forehead. Choji had a long red jumpsuit and a set of half-body armor over his clothes. His hair had lengthened and reached down his mid-back.

"Hey." said Naruto.

"How you been? Nevermind, tell us on the way home." Choji said.

"I can't. I'm not coming home for another three months. I'm sorry, but I'm not done here. I promise I will come back then."

Ten-Ten seemed the most upset. Naruto heard her mutter Sasuke's name and he assured her they would all come home soon. Shikamaru muttered how troublesome it was to have gathered all the troops for nothing. Then a new new pact was signed between Kohona and Suna


	17. Temari hime

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 17:

Temari-hime

Naruto sat in the corner of the room. He had been still for about three hours. This was as close to sleeping as he ever got. He never actually lay down and slept. He would sit and meditate for a few hours, then leave to train all day until sundown. Then he would eat, come back, greet Temari then go and meditate again. He got up to leave when he felt Temari tug on his sleeve.

"Where you going?" she asked sleepily.

"Training." he responded softly.

"You gotta sleep some, please? For me."

Naruto sighed and dropped his head a little. He nodded then climbed into the bed next to her. He was laying on his back and she moved to him and then lay her head on his chest. He smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Naruto felt his lids drop and he let sleep overtake him. He dream was one that took the fashion of something he hadn't seen for years, the Kyuubi.

**"Hello kit... long time, no see."**

"Kyuubi no Kitsune. A full twenty months hasn't it been? So, to what honor do I owe this visit?"

**"I have come to tell you something about your little vixen, kit. The sand girl."**

"And why should I listen to you?"

**"Fine by me, don't listen to the demon that has thousands of years of knowlage."**

"Fine then, I won't. Oh and Kyuubi, don't threaten me. This is MY MIND!"

Naruto sent pressure to push in on the Kyuubi from all sides. The fox howled and pushed back. Naruto swore and quickly cut off the brain waves from his chakra to break communication with the Kyuubi. He sat up quickly, breathing heavily.

"Damn. Dammit!"

"Naruto?" asked Temari. "What's wrong?"

"The damned fox!"

"Naruto..."

Naruto held his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He wore no shirt and he shivered visibly as the cold wind blew across him. It had only been a half-hour from the time he'd fallen asleep. Naruto felt a single tear leak down his face. He wiped it away angrily. Temari crawled to him and wrapped her arms around him from behind lovingly. She pulled him close to her and he craned his neck back to look at her. She kissed him lightly and felt him relax a little.

"Your way too tense Naruto, it's not good you need to relax."

Temari began to massage him. Naruto closed him his eyes in relaxation. Temari moved her hands in slow, soothing circles and moved up and down his spine. Then he turned quickly and tackled her. She shrieked a little, and then laughed quickly.

"Naruto, what are you doing?"

Naruto leaned down next to her so that his breath tickled her ear. He whispered into it softly.

"Distracting you."

Temari threw him a confused look and then saw a flash of a figure run through the door.

"DAMMIT!" she swore.

Naruto laughed heartily as he sped away from the house. He turned and called back to her.

"You'll have to do better to keep me still next time Temari-hime."

He could see Temari blush slightly from his boldness. Naruto continued to jump from roof to roof calmly. Finally, he made it to the large office and when he requested entrance, he was let in without a fuss. Naruto walked calmly to Gaara's desk. His chunnin vest wasn't at all distracting. His cloak was now practically a part of him. He felt natural, normal and in control of himself.

"Gaara-sa--" Naruto caught himself. "Gaara-nii-san."

"Naruto-nii-san." said Gaara.

Naruto was slightly shocked. He would've never thought that Gaara _really _thought of him as a _brother. _He composed himself and tried to remember why he'd even come here in the first place. Gaara noticed it and was annoyed, but not overly so.

"Nii-san, why are you here?" asked Gaara. "Not that I am displeased, but I have a lot of paperwork I must do."

"Oh, well I can fix that for you."

Naruto moved so quickly Gaara hadn't caught it. In a second, fifteen Narutos filled the office. They all did a transformation to look like the kagekaze then started doing paperwork. Gaara raised an eyebrow impressed. He turned to Naruto.

"How do you get them to do that? You hate paperwork." he said.

"Yes, I do," said Naruto. "But they have my mind and logic. So all I have to do it think that if I was a clone my purpose in life is to do what I am supposed to and they do anything."

Gaara's eyebrows went up again.

"That is... just short of genius."

Naruto laughed and asked his question.

"So listen, why I came here... When are the jonnin exams? And where are they going to be?"

"Oh, they take place in mist village in... two months time... Are you going to enter?"

Naruto raised a thumb in affirmation. Gaara smiled a little as Naruto leapt off. Naruto landed and ran quickly through the city, purely enjoying the feeling of running. He didn't know why, but running gave him a feeling of happiness. The feeling the muscles in his legs pumping gave him a thrill. He ran all the way back home before stopping in front of his house. He wasn't out breath at all, in fact his breathing was completely normal. He walked inside and felt Temari tackle him.

"Now I got you!" she said happily.

"Alright," he said. "You got me, now what are you going to do?"

Temari grinned wickedly.

Naruto awoke late that night and looked over to his right. Temari was already awake with her arms around him. She was still unclothed and Naruto kissed her lightly. She laughed a little and pulled him close to her and kissed him back.

"So," she asked. "Do you have any regrets?"

"No." he said.

"Good, because you in way to deep to back out now."

"Good," he responded. "Because I don't want to."

She smiled. He ran his fingers through her hair which had long come undone. She ran her fingers through his hair. Naruto kissed her lightly on the brow. Even though it was nearly pitch black, and the only light was from the moon, Naruto could see her blush.

"I think you should wear your hair out of that headband more often," she said, still running her hands through his hair. "It confines your hair too much. When it's out it's a lot more bouncy and free. Plus it makes you look a lot sexier, eh? Naruto-_sama._"

"Whatever, Temari_-hime. _I think you just want another go at it."

She laughed at him and got up to get dressed before returning to sleep. Naruto did the same, but did not go to sleep. He meditated. In the morning he got dress in tan stretch pants, a white shirt with his chunnin vest and his black cloak with red flames over it all. Then he walked slowly in a controlled fashion into the kitchen. He began to make himself some breakfast and saw Temari walk it. She ran over to him and buried her head into his chest. She was sobbing.

"Na-Naruto, I thought-- I thought you'd left me..."

Naruto's eyes widened in shock.

"Temari," he said soothingly. "Come on, would I ever leave my princess?"

She hugged him tightly and held him close. Naruto patted her on head and hugged her back to calm her down. Finally he said something.

"Temari, I love you a lot, but I got to save my pancakes before they burn and set the house on fire."

She gave a single happy laugh and released him. Naruto went to flip and save his breakfast and made sure to make some extra food for his lover. Temari smiled when he placed his cooking down in front of her. She leaned up and kissed him.

"Thanks Naruto-kun."

"Anytime, Temari-hime." he said an ran, already having finished his food with his incredibly fast eating speed.

Temari sighed and shook her head.

"Well, at least he'll be great with the kids."

A month and a half later, Naruto was packing and getting ready for the jonnin exams. He went and sat on the bed. Temari opened her eyes wearily and rushed to the bathroom to throw up. Naruto threw the bag down and went to her. He hated this. It was just because he was so... unhelpful. He couldn't do anything about her sickness. He rubbed his hand up and down her back while he sat propped on one knee. She threw up again and then stuck her head back up out of the bowl.

"You ok?" he asked.

"Better now. Thanks."

"For what?" he asked.

"Staying with even though I'm--."

Naruto cut her off by hugging her quickly. She sighed and placed her head in his chest. Naruto thought about the date a little. It was October eighth. That meant in two days it was his birthday. It also meant Temari's birthday was in... five months and eight days. He smiled a little at that thought. Then he lead her down to breakfast. He was thankful that she did not yet have strange food cravings. He had barely convinced her to let him Hiraishin her to and from the exams.

He had packed his stuff as she had packed hers. Naruto put his food down in front of her and she sighed. Naruto turned to her so fast his neck cracked a little. Then he asked if something was wrong while she laughed a little at what he'd done.

"Nothing's wrong... Just wondering what I'm going to do with you."

Naruto got up and went to her. He squat down and kissed her. She broke it and rubbed his forehead with her's.She looked into his questioning eyes and answered the unasked question with her usual attitude of smugness and caring that she displayed only for him.

"You don't want to kiss me if I taste like puke do you?"

Naruto sighed and rolled his eyes. Then he travel through their house to the bedroom they shared. He stuffed a few more kunai and shiriken into the pouch on the side. He looked though all his cloaks and picked the one like his father's, white with red flames, then sealed the rest in a small scroll. He closed his bag and then walked downstairs slowly to wish the others luck. He walked at a normal, controlled pace. He long cloak swung around behind him. The sun was to his back and he didn't mind the walk in the least.

Eventually, he made it to the front gates and he shook Gaara's hand and slapped hands with Sasuke. Then he walked and stood on a small pillar. He looked at Gaara, who nodded. Then he called out in a voice that was loud enough to attract the attention of all.

"ATTENTION NINJA OF SUNA!"

Then the people quieted and Naruto in a powerful voice.

"Now, you all have been fine ninja and chunnin leaders. Every one of you has the chance at going for jonnin. You must know that it will not be easy, the task will be hard and cause you much strife. However, you are ninja of the sand. You will face any challenges you will face and you will overcome them!"

On his final word the crowd broke into a loud yell and cheers. Naruto got down and walked to Gaara.

"Nice speech, short and inspiring." he said.

"Well," Naruto began. "I'm not the kage here, next time you have to give a speech."

"Can't." Gaara said simply. "I don't do yelling. Nor do I inspire people."

Naruto rolled his eyes and walked used Hiraishin to get back to where Temari sat waiting for him. He walked through the door and her face brightened considerably. It was like watching the night a sunrise peeks over distant rooftops. Naruto walked over to her and embraced her. She put her head in his chest and relaxed. Naruto rubbed his hand up and down her back carefully, as though a misplaced move might break her.

"I love you, Naruto-kun." she said.

He kissed her and replied, "I love you too, Temari-hime."


	18. To the Jonnin Exams

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 18:

To the Jonnin Exams:

Naruto lay his head down and almost instantly was asleep. His world swayed quickly before him. He could feel ankle-high water. He could see the large seal and cage that contained his demon. He could smell the stench of the damned fox.

**"Dammit kit,"** said Kyuubi. **"Your vixen is just really pissing me off. You should ask her if she'll enjoy her demon child."**

"DON'T SAY THAT ABOUT MY CHILD!!" yelled Naruto angrily.

**"What? Are you angry about your damn monster child?"**

"YOU SHUT YOUR MOUTH ABOUT MY SON!"

**"What son, kit? Your vixen will just give birth to a fox demon that will kill you both in your sleep. You'd do better to kill it outright."**

"DAMN YOU! I'LL KILL YOU FOR SAYING THAT SHIT ABOUT MY SON!"

Naruto leapt forward in a rage, resengan in hand. He slammed it quickly into the Kyuubi's forehead. The large fox howled in pain and jammed it's long nails into Naruto midsection. Naruto heard several ribs break and fell to the water covered ground. Naruto steeled himself and ran at Kyuubi again, forming a chidori this time.

"GO TO HELL YOU BASTARD FOX!"

He slammed it into Kyuubi's paw and the fox howled in pain. Naruto formed a resengan and slammed it down in the same spot. Naruto was hit by the other paw and sent flying. Naruto yelled in pain and hit the far wall. He saw Kyuubi transform into his human form and run at Naruto through the bars. Naruto ran at him and took a small notice that Kyuubi's right hand looked burnt and his forehead had a small angry wheel on it. Naruto ran at the Kyuubi and through a punch at the fox demon.

Kyuubi moved so quickly that he didn't see. He only felt several more bones crunch and was through into the side of the wall yet again. He fell down and coughed up blood. He was laying face down and it spread all over his face and into his eyes. He pushed himself up shakily.

**"Why even get back up to fight kit?"**

"Because," said Naruto. "You insulted my family, and no one, not even the lord of demons does that and lives!"

Naruto ran at the Kyuubi who calmly kicked him in the shin and fractured his right leg. Naruto yelled in pain and clutched it. He tried to stand up on it, but couldn't stand the pain and feel over again. He face hit the stone bottom of the cellar. He wiped blood out of his eyes and sent chakra to his broken limbs so that they would go numb. He stood up wearily. Then he sprinted at the Kyuubi again. The Kyuubi raised and eyebrow, impressed. Naruto formed quick seals and made the water form a dragon.

"Water Style: Dragon Missile!"

The dragon struck at Kyuubi who reacted quicker then the speed of light.

**"Demonic Technique: Water Combustion!"**

The water seemed to explode. Naruto gritted his teeth. He was using too much chakra on his limbs. He dropped the chakra from his face and chest then yelled. He could fight with the pain. He dropped to the ground and didn't get up again. Kyuubi grinned weakly and kicked Naruto back into the real world. He awoke and saw a flash of Temari's concerned face before he passed out.

He awoke much, much later on an extremely comfy bed and didn't open his eyes because he knew he was in a hospital. He finally did open his eye and saw Temari holding his hand to her lips with tears in her eyes. Naruto reached up slowly and wiped a tear off her face lovingly. She looked at him and he smiled.

"Hey, Temari-hime."

"Hey, Naruto-kun."

"What's wrong?" he asked. "I'm fine."

"When you were asleep at home, you... you... You were thrashing around and then your bones began to crack repeatedly, then you were bleeding a lot and your hands had chakra burns on them. I didn't know what to do. I was so scared."

"I was... in my mind fighting my... burden." he said.

"You... fought it? Like, actually fought it?"

"Yes," he said. "It is very strong. Far stronger then I am."

She looked at him worried.

"Don't worry so much," he said to her. "He's not getting out, ever, and what matters is you and me, and our son."

Temari smiled lightly and kissed him. Naruto kissed her back and then broke it, smiling at her.

"Go on and grab your bags, we'll leave as soon as I get back home. All my bones are already back to normal so I'll be fine."

As soon Naruto was sure he was back to full health he used his chakra and flashed back home quickly. He saw Temari zipping up her traveling bag and his mind froze her in place. He could see her practically shining with an inner light. Like a sort of aura. Naruto forced his legs to move again and he walked to her. She turned to him and Naruto leaned forward, kissing her deeply. She closed her eyes. Naruto wrapped his hands around her small form tenderly. She smiled through the kiss.

Naruto fell back with her on top of him and she broke the kiss to lay her head on his chest. Naruto laughed softy as he preformed Hiraishin, and vanished in a crack, so much like a roll of thunder. Temari gasped as the sensation overtook her. When they were safe on the solid ground again Naruto let her release him.

"I know, it takes a little getting used to, right?" he asked.

"Yes, but don't do it right now!"

Naruto kissed her lightly again and looked around. Sure enough, just as he'd planned, they were in the village of waves. Naruto walked through the streets and people would come on out and cheer for him. Naruto grinned happily and waved back.

"Why do they like you so much?" she asked him.

"I helped defeat Zabuza, one of the seven swordsmen of the mist and gave this place hope again when I was just twelve."

"Bullshit you did. Your incredible dear, but your not that good."

"Oh really?" he asked. "Ask anyone what the name of the bridge is."

She walked calmly through the city. Her movements were slow, calm and controlled. His were as well, if not quite as much. She walked carefully, calmly to the bridge and tapped a villager on the back. He turned to face her.

"Excuse me sir, but what is the name of this bridge?"

"Oh, you ain't heard? This is the Great Naruto Bridge. It ain't even lost a stone in all these years. It's almost as steady as the kid we named it after. He'd be about... twenty-two or now I'd say. I might be off but I think that's it."

"That is almost right." said Naruto. "I will be twenty-two in about a month."

"I guess I picked the right guy, huh? Famous in Suna, famous in Snow, famous here apparently."

"Just about everywhere but the leaf." he said jokingly.

She didn't respond with words. Her eyes, however, misted over with passionate tears. She leaned close to him and kissed him lovingly. Naruto returned it and then broke it. He pulled her lightly through the town until they reached where they would be staying. It was a motel, and not of nearly the best conditions. Naruto swore angrily. He didn't care in the least about it, but Temari was holding a child. A pregnant woman shouldn't have to stay here.

Naruto turned her around and didn't answer when she asked what was wrong. Finally after another half-hour of walking, sometimes in circles, they reached an appartment Naruto seemed to be content with. They walked through the large glass double doors.

"One room," Naruto told the manager.

"Yes sir, how long will you be staying?"

"Seven months."

"Ok sir, please sigh here and here."

There followed a lengthy ritual of signing and money passing. Eventually Naruto finished and received the door key. Naruto walked to his room and got into the room. Temari hugged him tightly and tackled him onto the bed, kissed him repeatedly before relaxing.

"I love you." she said. "Thanks for this by the way. I could've lived with that other place."

"Nonsense. There was no need for that. I want you to enjoy yourself here."

"Why did you get a room here so long?"

"Well, the jonin exams happen real soon and then we'll stay here until our son is born."

She looked at him, her eyes seeming to shimmer of their own accord. Naruto leaned down and kissed her deeply. She moaned hard in his mouth and pushed back. She ran her hands lovingly all over his chest and he her back. She let herself fall into the heaven surrounding her. Both fell asleep that night in each other's embrace. When the morning light did finally hit them, Naruto sat up quickly, by instinct. He walked over and got dressed. Then he heard Temari sat up.

"Thanks." she said.

"For what?" he asked.

"For staying." she said.

Naruto walked to her and hugged her. Then he used Hiraishin and vanished. Naruto reappeared in a small crowd of people waiting to get into the building. Naruto glanced around and saw Sasuke waiting, calmly, in constant control. He brightened when he saw Naruto. Both shook hands. A few leaf ninja raise suspicious eyebrows and Naruto even heard a few questions about them flit around from person to person.

"Isn't that _the _one?"

"Is that Arishi's kid?"

"That's Uzamaki? What's the Uchiha doing?"

"Why they both wearing Suna headbands?"

They paid the whispers no mind, as though they couldn't hear them. Sasuke and Naruto walked up to the signing table and wrote down their names with a confidence and dignity that can only be achieved of people that are in the same fashion as them. Both entered through the large open doors and saw a large white arena. It was tall and stunning. It stopped all who entered the room for a few moments. It was fashioned in much the same way as their semi-finals chuunin arena.

The main difference was that this time there was absolutely nothing. White tile with white walls. Nothing to hide behind, substitute with, or land on. Naruto sighed a little. This caused complications. One of his best advantages was his hiding and speed. Hiraishin would work a little but not as much as leaping with chakra or substitution. Naruto grinned. Jiyria had once told him that whenever there was nothing around to use, make something that you can.

"Thank you sensei. I promise I won't fail you or your teachings!"

**(End Chapter)**

Well, I'm bored so enjoy this little skit between out own Gaara, Naruto, Temari and Sasuke.

Sasuke: Hey, Where's the dobe?

Temari: Well he's...

Gaara: (From far off) SAY SAMA AGAIN! SAY SAMA AGAIN! I DARE YOU! I DOUBLE DARE YOU MOTHER FUCKER SAY SAMA ONE MORE TIME!

Naruto: I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! AHH! (Does girly shriek)

Sasuke: What in the hell?!

Temari: They both watched Snakes on a Plane and the Blair Witch project last night. Never again will we have movie night at Naruto-kun's place.

Sasuke: So... wow this is an awkward question... when did you get so fat?

Temari:... YOU SON OF A BITCH! I'M JUST PREGNANT! YOU WANNA BARE A KID! DO YOU? YOU ASSHOLE! HAKU! KIMMIMARU! GET HIM! (looks around) FUCK WHY DO ALL THE GAY GUY'S DIE IN THIS MOTHER FUCKING SHOW?

Gaara: Why is she yelling?

Naruto: Hell hath no fury like a woman dude.

Gaara: I won't envy you in the morning.

Naruto: No, but I bet you Sasuke will.

Gaara: What are we talking about?

Naruto: Chicks, I think...

Gaara: Are females manly enough to talk about?

Naruto: I think, yes they have to be, I mean guys talk about having sex right?

Gaara: Well unless you have...

Naruto: How do you think Temari got pregnant dude?

Gaara: I suggest we stop talking about this before I kill you.


	19. Jonnin Exams

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

Chapter 19: Jonnin Exams!

Naruto stared at the large square door. Sasuke place a hand on his shoulder.

"Steady, you'll do fine."

Naruto calmed himself and smiled a little.

"I'm not worried about my matches. I want to warn you not to lose until you face me."

Sasuke smiled.

"Got it, Dobe."

"Teme." said Naruto almost affectionatly.

Both boys took a handle of the door and yanked it open and walked in calmly. What hit them was a ring that was, without any other proper word, bueatiful. It was a simple design. Yet, each and every tile had an elegant pattern or pictures etched into it. The high side had no protective railing. When he inquired about it, Naruto was told it was because it would have no real perpose.

"Any real ninja won't fall off be being stupid and as far as protection... Well nine times out of ten it will be some strong type of technique or move that would, without a doubt, break right through any rail. So, if you can't dodge, better start packing."

Naruto nodded then walked to a piece of paper. He was pleased to see he had the second match. That gave him just enough time to strech. He walked with Sasuke up to the platform and began to loosen his muscles up. Sasuke looked at him and shrugged. Naruto was loose and limber then watched the giant board that had several names flash quickly and almost randomly on it. The thing was, Naruto could catch the names flipping through a pattern. Sasuke activated his sharigan and saw it too. The first fight names flashed up.

**Yaki Niomi**

**VS.**

**Ino Yamanaka**

"Ino?" Naruto asked. "Ah, of course, I forgot. Leaf chunnin are coming too."

The extremely flashy chunnin walked onto the field. Naruto could see she looked like she had before with minor changes. Her purple staying in the same spot, yet anywhere the bandages had been, her legs and lower chest, were gone. Her hair was back to it's overly long length as well. Naruto calmly sat back as well. This Yaki person was from mist and strange. He used a mace as a weapon, yet it was very odd. It flashed with chakra. Naruto sat back to watch. Sadly, he never learned what the mace did.

Ino attacked first and attacked hard. She made one seal and shattered his mind. The proctor stopped the fight. Then the extremely large board flashed again. What amused Naruto the most of all was that Ino's name stayed put. So you fought until you couldn't any more? What point was there in that? Of course, he knew it was to test their durability. Of course this meant that the last people to go were in luck, they didn't have to fight as much. Naruto looked at the scoreboard again.

**Grehadel Twartman**

**VS.**

**Ino Yamanaka**

This fight was far more destructive and Ino didn't win it. The newcomer jumped the vanished and appeared behind her. He struck with invisible speed, running her through from behind. Ino fell to the ground bleeding. The proctor stepped in and the medical team arrived taking her away. So the fights continued for an amount of time until the scoreboard flashed up again.

**Naruto Uzamaki**

**VS.**

**Natailia Castro**

Naruto vanished with his usual lightning-like flash, and reappear in front of the previous victor. Naruto thought about what he knew about her. She was a big Tai-jutsu and Gen-jutsu user, though she knew a few Nin-jutsu. He drew his dagger and ran at her quickly. She formed three hand signs and tried to trap him in a Gen-jutsu which he broke before it had even started. She leapt to avoid him and he used Hiraishin. Suddenly she was flying right into his waiting blade.

The blood flowed freely from her lips onto the tile floor as she slowly passed into the other world. Naruto stood, watching the scoreboard. Then another name flashed below his. Naruto couldn't believe the name for about three seconds, then a loud yell and the boy who jumped down confirmed his thoughts.

"Hey, Konahamaru."

"Boss!" shouted the younger boy, using his affectionate name for Naruto. "I guess I'm your opponent."

"Give it your all." said Naruto.

"GO!" shouted the proctor.

Naruto and Konahamaru moved at the same time. Naruto swung swiftly at the lad who rotated and used his forehead proctor to make the blow glance off. Naruto was stunned. He hadn't been going at full speed of power, but still the kid had gotten some real speed. Naruto sheathed his katana and his hands blurred before he shouted out his attack.

"EARTH STYLE: EARTH COFFIN!"

Large piles of earth covered the lad and Naruto though he had won and then felt the chakra release. He turned to see the brown-haired boy standing with a wide smile. Naruto gave a small smirk before addressing the boy.

"Air substitution was it? Not bad. I may have to kick things up a notch."

Naruto thrust his left hand down and a crack went off before a chidori showed up. Up in the stand Sasuke scoffed, sharigan active.

"Showoff," said Sasuke. "He didn't even form hand seals. Is he going to combined it with-- oh yes there he goes."

Down below Naruto had another chidori going off in his right hand. The combined sound of two thousand birds chirping was a highly irritating sound. Konahamaru panicked and did the clone jutsu. Naruto smirked.

"That won't help! I can smell you out! UZAMAKI DOUBLE CHIDORI!" shouted Naruto.

Naruto ran forward and knew which one was the real Konahamaru. He thrust the arm at him. He saw the fear of death flash in the kid's eyes. He didn't have a move for this. Naruto saw the blue electricity flash in his face. Naruto quickly closed his fist and fell to the ground. He quickly stood and brushed himself off. Then, he raised his hand.

"Proctor," he said. "I surrender."

Everyone looked shocked. Sasuke in particular looked rather pissed. Naruto walked calmly to Konahamaru and looked him in the eyes. He was still frozen with fear.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean that."

The boy nodded and leapt away, forfeiting the next match automatically. Naruto leapt up next to Sasuke.

"What the hell?" Sasuke asked. "Why'd you surrender?! Now your out already."

"No he's not." said a jonnin proctor behind them. "He won his first match without sustaining and injury at all, by the rules he's thrown back in until he losses the next match. Watch it though kid, you get only one mulligan."

Naruto's eyes flashed back down to the field.Kankuro and some newcomer from sound were going at it. Kankuro leapt at the man who blasted him back with a long, gong-like note. Naruto's eyes widened and Kankuro flipped over backwards to land calmly on his own two feet. Then he swung his arms as though randomly and sent his deadly puppets flying at his foe. The latter leapt over and formed seals before blowing a giant fireball at Kankuro.

He leapt quickly out of the way and then swung his puppets to safety. Sasuke raised an eyebrow. Then Kankuro leapt up onto a wall, using chakra to keep himself in place. He twitched his hands with invisible speed. The puppets danced across the field as his opponent cleverly dodged every blow from the puppets. The other lad leapt and Kankuro and threw two shirken. Kankuro flipped up out of the way. The other boy ran at him with a kunai.

Naruto grinned. Kankuro swung his arm and the foolish youth ran headlong into the puppet's waiting stomach. A croaked surrender came from the puppet and Kankuro got in his ready position again. Naruto took note of his stance. It was weary. Kankuro wasn't used to having to fight more then one or two people at a time. Naruto found his grip on his wrist tightening. The scoreboard flashed again and another chunnin leapt down to face the sand ninja.

"Go!"

Kankuro leapt back quickly and flung his arms forward. the puppets followed the motions a split-second later. The other man swung quickly, damaging the puppets slightly before flinging the kunai knife at the black-clad ninja. Kankuro's third puppet moved quickly and took the blow. Kankuro moved again and this time, his physical body was involved. No longer was there any difference in puppet and master. It was simply a four-on-one battle.

That being said, the man put up a heroic fight. He spun and kicked out and then twirled in a complicated pattern. Finally, he stepped at an odd angle and fell to the ground and fell hard on his face. Kankuro's black ant leapt on him and held several of it's razors to the man's neck.

"Proctor, I surrender." said the man. Kankuro walked off with the man signaling that he had had it too. Naruto looked at the scoreboard. Several more names flashed up and several more people fought, the victor usually lasting two or three matches before giving up. Naruto yet again checked the scoreboard and grinned.

**Naruto Uzamaki**

**VS.**

**Oragen Thirgen**

"Man," said Sasuke. "You get to fight twice before me, give me a break."

"You know they love me more then you." Naruto said jokingly.

Naruto leapt down from the stands and looked at his foe. The man was easily six feet tall and was extremely bulky. The man waited for the go and then charged Naruto. Naruto barely had time to use Hiraishin and get out of the way. The poor man was lost for second. Then he found Naruto and tried to use wind to crush his body. Naruto resisted it with a blast of his own chakra. The other man ran at him kunai in hand.

Naruto calmly drew his dagger and in a flash his foe's kunai was split in half. Naruto sheathed the blade with a blank face. The man ran at him again forming the seal for a chakra clone. Naruto did shadow clone jutsu to match it. Chakra clones couldn't actually strike an enemy, but they were distracting. Naruto and he clones all picked a target and kicked a clone. One of Naruto's clones found the real one and he was sent flying while the clones vanished.

Naruto dispelled the clones and walked up to the man, pointed his katana at the man's neck.

"I'm done," he said. "Proctor, I surrender."

Then the scoreboard went off again. Naruto glanced up at it was slightly shocked to see another ex-comrade's name.

**Naruto Uzamaki**

**VS.**

**Neji Hyuuga**

"So, the Hyuuga with a fate stick up his ass is back for round two?" asked Naruto.

"Fate brought us together again for this rematch Uzamaki, and I will be the victor."

"And here I thought I'd beaten that out of you. Oh well, I'll be happy to do it again."

Naruto and Neji both took ready positions. Neji stood posed and ready in the gentle fist style. Meanwhile, Naruto stood with his feet shoulder width apart and his hand up. They were open with the fingers pointed slightly at his foe.

"GO!" shouted the proctor.

Naruto leapt with invisible speed at the same time as Neji. Both met in mid-air with Naruto's dagger going through Neji's kunai. No one on the sides had seen the weapons drawn. Sasuke activated his sharigan to watch. Naruto leapt up on the wall and ran quickly in circles around Neji. The Hyuuga calmly watched him. Naruto drew his blade and threw it at Neji. The black-haired Hyuuga caught it in reflex, and Naruto smirked.

"Spirt: Separate!"

The sword shattered in exactly one-hundred, twenty-three pieces, by Neji's count. Each one caught some of the light off the ceiling lights and shown with a bright intensity. Naruto brought his hands together again.

"Sprit: Shred!"

The shards each head right for Neji just as they had with Sakura's death. Neji crouched down in his normal stance.

"Eight trigrams: Sixty-four palms! Two palms, Four, Eight, Sixteen, Three-two, Sixty-four palms!"

With each said number of strikes, Neji beat away a shard. Yet, he wasn't fast enough to stop each one of them once they wheeled back around repeatedly. He was struck first in the thigh, then in the arm. He leapt up and continued to fight them in the air. Cuts flashed quickly on his legs and mid-section. All the while Naruto sat by, calmly controlling the shards. Neji panicked and a single shard penetrated his left eye.

Neji swore and landed holding it. Naruto took notice and stopped the shards. Then he ran forward and hit Neji in the chin with all the power and chakra he could throw behind his left fist. Neji was sent head-first into the ceiling then back to the ground in a heap, and didn't move again.

"Medic team," said the Proctor. "Next."

The scoreboard flashed again as medics pick up Neji. The board stopped Naruto stared at it in shock.

**Naruto Uzamaki**

**VS.**

**Sasuke Uchiha**


	20. Naruto vs Sasuke

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

A/N: I want everyone to know, this isn't the Huge Naruto/Kyuubi fight yet.

Chapter 20: Naruto Vs. Sasuke

Naruto looked at Sasuke and swore under his breath. He was way too tired for this now. If only he hadn't used the spirt shred move last fight, he might've been a decent match up, now he wasn't going to be able to use he weapons moves. Naruto cast off his cloak with a small smirk. He was tired, so they would be fighting as equals. Sasuke leapt down and shook hands with Naruto.

"No holding back, ok?" he asked.

"Of course not," said Naruto. "But first--"

"I know."

Sasuke reached in his pocket and tied his Suna protector around his forehead. Naruto got ready to strike and so did Sasuke.

"Remember," warned the proctor. "We don't _want _to kill each other. Go!"

Sasuke activated his sharigan quickly and leapt at Naruto. Naruto drew his katana and swung at him vertically so that Sasuke had to jump to the left to avoid it. He rushed Naruto and the blonde side-stepped him. Sasuke went up on his hands and kicked out behind him. Naruto caught his foot in the free hand and swung at it with the sword. Sasuke's other foot hit the handle and it went flying out of Naruto's grasp. Naruto wrapped his left leg around Sasuke's waist and flung him on his back.

Sasuke fell to the ground with a heavy thud. Naruto swung down in a flash with the dagger and felt Sasuke grab his arm and hold it completely still. Naruto smirked, and dropped the dagger, point-first at Sasuke. Sasuke's eyes widened and he kicked it out of the way of his body. Naruto kicked out at him and their feet crossed in mid-air before Sasuke sent Naruto flying over him. Naruto landed lightly on his feet and Sasuke make a chidori. The swing blue tentacles coming from the blue chakra orb sent a challenge to Naruto.

Naruto made a resengan and began making a chidori in his other hand. Sasuke, meanwhile, was making a second chidori. Both ran at each other, chidori in three hands, resengan in one. Again, both boys shouted out their attack name at the same moment.

"Uzamaki Chidoresengan!"

"Uchiha double Chidori!"

Two chidori attacks hit each other and a resengan and chidori collided. The two men hands' shook and moved together at the center where all four attacks met. Naruto shoved against Sasuke with all his strength just as Sasuke was doing to Naruto. Naruto snarled and pumped large reserves of his chakra into the attack.

Meanwhile, Sasuke was keeping a steady stream of chakra pouring out to match Naruto's own. Then, an explosion started from the effects of the mixed blasts and sent both flying deeply through the thick, five foot thick stone wall. Naruto was sure his spine was deeply fractured at least twice. He saw Sasuke groaning and stumbling off his wall on the other side. The proctor stepped forward.

"This match is--"

"No!" both men protested at the same time. "This has to continue."

High up in the stands Kankuro turned slowly to Gaara.

"Why is this so important for them?"

Gaara didn't take his eyes off Naruto.

"Because they are family."

"What do you mean?"

Gaara did not say anything more. Back on the ground, Naruto stumbled weakly to the center ring and fell down, then began crawling. Sasuke, meanwhile, had shut his sharigan down and was crawling on all fours. Naruto felt his weary hands touch something, the smooth handle of a knife. It was long left from some previous fight. Naruto Used all his reserve strength and leapt at Sasuke through the air, his back pained him deeply but he ignored it. Sasuke looked up and saw Naruto flying at him. He held up his head and Naruto smiled, victory was his.

"Enough, stop!"

Both boys froze and didn't move, save Naruto hitting the ground.

"Match is a tie, now go to the hospital before you kill each other."

Naruto let the medical ninja carry him away on a stretcher and he fell asleep. He awoke wearily and worn out in the hospital. He looked up with half-closed eyes at a figure at the head of the bed. It was Temari. Naruto smiled and lifted his hand.

"Hey, Temari-hime."

"Naruto-kun!" she said, grabbing his hand.

Naruto pulled her lightly towards himself and planted a tender kiss on her lips and only broke it when they heard an impatient grunt at the door. Naruto looked up, slightly annoyed, at the proctor from the jonnin exams. He spoke to Naruto.

"Uzamaki, Naruto." said the man in a dull, resigned tone that suggested pure scorn and superiority. "I am here to tell you that you have been promoted to special jonnin with the profession in fighting and tracking. And her exam takes place in eight months, in a test of skills."

Naruto smirked and smiled. He walked over to the place where his clothes sat and the proctor left.Naruto got dressed in his black pants and black shinobi sandals. Then he put on a white long sleeve shirt and his chunnin vest over the rest before throwing on one of his cloaks. This one had the Suna symbol displayed proudly on the back. Then Naruto put his red Suna headband on his forehead and tied his old leaf headband around his neck. It had been so long now that he had been in that village. He would be back soon enough.

Naruto considered the date. It was actually February, twenty-third. He would be nineteen when he went back to Kohona, after leaving it most recently at fifteen. He would be re-instated as a Kohona ninja after not being one from the age of twelve. He thought back to when he was only twelve. He had been really young and foolish back then, but determined. Plus, he'd met Temari and Hinata. The only two women to ever love him. Naruto was reflecting on this fact when one of the thoughts, Temari, wondered near him.

"You ok?" she asked.

"Yes, I'm fine. How was your day?"

"Not bad. I got to see you in action. Your training must've more then payed off. You could take on almost anyone."

Naruto smirked and then hugged her, glad his back was better now. She lay her head on his shoulder and Naruto considered something. She was older then him wasn't she? If she had been fifteen when he was thirteen, that made her about twenty or twenty-one now. It struck him that he didn't even know he birthday.

_Maybe I haven't changed all that much. _thought Naruto, thinking that this was something he'd have expected of his twelve-year-old self.

Naruto kissed Temari lightly on the lips and then leapt out the window as she smiled at him. Naruto leapt around trying to find Gaara. Finally Naruto saw the Kazekage sitting at a ramen stand. Naruto, not being someone to disrespect ramen, joined him.

"Hey Gaara."

"Naruto," said Gaara nodding. "Sit."

Naruto did so and ordered some pork ramen. Gaara looked over at him.

"So, why did you come here?" Gaara asked.

"Two reasons really. First off, I wanted to enjoy some ramen, secondly, I have a question."

"Two honest reasons to come then, what do you wish to ask?"

Naruto smiled with his famous fox-grin style.

"Um... do you know when Temari's birthday is?"

Gaara sat staring at his noodles. This continued for sometime before Gaara spoke.

"Dammit."

"Huh?" asked Naruto.

"I was taking so long to consider why I'd never told you when it was that my noodles got cold."

"Here." said Naruto quickly.

He placed his hands on either side of the blow and performed the warming jutsu. Now, of course Gaara had no eyebrows to raise, but if he had, he would've. Naruto smiled a little. The night was pleasant, warm and friendly. Gaara slurped up some ramen.

"That is a handy jutsu. Oh, and her birthday is November the seventh."

"Really?" he asked. "Thanks."

Naruto stayed for a while, talking and eating ramen. Then, he excused himself from the stand and walked back to where he and Temari were staying for the period of seven months. Naruto walked in cooly and calmly. Temari jumped on him and he kissed her tenderly and caressingly. Temari moaned in his mouth longingly. Naruto ran his hand slowly up and down her back. Temari pressed her body close to him and Naruto wrapped both arms around him. Temari was running her fingers through his hair.

Naruto ran his tongue tenderly along her lips and she opened her mouth, letting his eyelids fall closed. Naruto played with her tongue for a little bit before withdrawing and planting kisses along her jawbone. She shivered a bit and he moved down her neck. She moaned loudly he he kissed a certain soft spot on her neck and he attacked it with his mouth. She moaned several times and Naruto brought lips up and down her neck while she pulled him all the closer to her.

"Naruto-kun." she moaned.

She pushed him down on the bed and crawled slowly onto him. She came at him with her lips again and stopped, surprised when she felt his hand against her lips. Naruto kissed her forehead tenderly and she sighed, slightly hurt. Naruto put his forehead to her's.

"I'm sorry," he said. "But while you're pregnant we shouldn't do this. I don't know what might happen if we do."

"Fine," she said. "I understand. However, if you _ever _attack my neck like that again, then push me away, sleeping on the couch will be the least of your worries."

"Yes ma'am." said Naruto, making her laugh.

Naruto hugged her tightly and walked outside to go and greet Sasuke cheerily. However, when Naruto finally found the great Uchiha his cheery attitude changed to a gloomy, angry and jealous demeanor. For, underneath his chunnin vest, Sasuke wore the black set of clothes allowed only to jonnin and ANBU.

"Your just mad because I got the rank up and you didn't."

"What's up with that? You got jonnin and you won less matches then me!"

"The jonnin test isn't just strength," said Sasuke, in an arrogant tone that suggested he knew everything about anything. It's ability to teach and when they saw your yelling at the kid at the chunnin exams, they didn't think you have leadership potential."

Naruto swore and walked away from Sasuke and went to train to let his frustration out. He walked to the long swamps of the mist village. Naruto drew his long blade and rammed it into his chest hard. The blade stuck in him and blood dripped quickly from the wound. Naruto fell backwards out of the world and out of time as he saw the light of the human world get replaced by the darkness of the demonic world that was within his own mind. The cell appeared before him and Naruto banged on it angrily.

"Come on out dammit! I want to fight!"

**"What am I to you kit? A punching bag!?"**

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment and Kyuubi came flying out of the cell. Naruto got in his stance and charged the demon. Kyuubi sighed and got in his defensive stance, ready to be a source of release for Naruto's hate, and rage. Naruto loosed a war cry as he ran at his opponent. Naruto let his fists fly with invisible speed and Kyuubi blocked each strike. Naruto leapt up and kicked down at the demon. He caught Naruto's foot and threw him at the ground, covered with water.

Naruto caught himself on his hands and kicked out, moving backwards on his hands and repeatedly attacking with his feet. Kyuubi blocked the blonde with his forearms and backpedaled wildly. Naruto could see Kyuubi's tails swinging quickly back and forth in anger and anticipation. Naruto swore to win. He didn't want to lose to Kyuubi, not again.


	21. Naruto vs Kyuubi

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

A/N: I want everyone to know, this isn't the Huge Naruto/Kyuubi fight yet.

Chapter 21: Naruto vs. Kyuubi

Naruto flipped up so his head was pointed at the ceiling again. Kyuubi stood waiting for him and Naruto waited, knowing Kyuubi would just let him wear himself out. Naruto glared at him as the great lord of demons spoke to his container.

**"You've gotten a little better, kit. I'll give you that much."**

"No more talk." said Naruto. "From here on out, we fight."

Naruto ran at Kyuubi and swung quickly with his fist. The demon caught his wrist and Naruto kicked out at the nine-tails demon's foot. Kyuubi jumped over the blow and Naruto was made to land on his chest in the water while Kyuubi held his arm behind his back. Naruto felt his arm get pushed forward while Kyuubi kept a firm hand on his shoulder to keep Naruto in a submission hold. Naruto tried to kick the demon, but wasn't flexible enough. Naruto kept fighting and heard a loud snap before feeling enormous pain in his shoulder.

Naruto knew instantly it wasn't just broken; it was shattered. Bone protruded from the skin and broke through it. Kyuubi dropped the limb painfully in the water. Naruto slowly stood wincing in pain. Kyuubi just looked rather displeased. He spoke again.

**"Still weak, kit. If this had been in the outside world I would've just taken the entirety of your jutsu."**

Naruto let his right arm hang there, limp and useless. He sprinted at the demon, making water fly up everywhere. He dashed the Kyuubi with the speed of a bullet and Naruto landed a heavy kick across Kyuubi's face. The demon staggered and fell. Naruto didn't let up. He repeatedly slammed his good elbow into the demon's gut until Kyuubi composed himself. Naruto leapt up and kicked down at Kyuubi who caught Naruto's foot and threw him into a wall. Naruto heard it gave a great gong-like noise as he hit it.

He got up with large jolts of pain and let himself relax. Sadly, Kyuubi had other plans. He ran at Naruto and kicked him in the chin to make him go flying. Naruto then felt Kyuubi kick him hard in the ribs. There were several large cracks and Naruto coughed up large blots of red, shiny blood. Naruto closed his eyes and forced the pain to subside. He kicked out with his foot only to feel it miss by feet. He had been hit too hard and it had thrown off his depth perception terribly.

"Dammit." he swore.

Naruto couldn't use chakra here. He stretched his leg out to see how far it looked and judged the distance. This would be simple. All he had to do was ignore what he saw and use reason. He ran at Kyuubi, throwing his pain aside. He punched out at the demon and Kyuubi caught it calmly. Naruto was a little slow and sluggish, but determined all the same. He sprinted at a wall which he backflipped off of and came running at the demon, with all his speed. Again though, Naruto's eyes deceived him.

He punched what he thought was Kyuubi's head and felt a hard metal bar. He held the bleeding hand and kick at Kyuubi properly. The demon side-stepped the blow and swept Naruto's other foot out from under him. The blonde ninja fell hard on the base of his neck and cried. He never had cried in these past months, not after Jiyria's death. He never though pain could cause him to do it again. Yet, it did. The pain was just so powerful, so consuming, so obliterating that he couldn't help it.

Kyuubi stamped down on his spine several times until Naruto began to hear cracks and slaps and yelled in pain. He couldn't even think properly anymore for all of the pain. He yelled aloud and cursed the name of the nine-tailed demon whom he contained.

Naruto hurt, and was bleeding all over. Naruto moaned and tried to support his body on his good hand. Kyuubi put a single foot on his and stamped. Naruto actually felt the bones break and fracture underneath the blow. Kyuubi smiled and picked him up by the neck. Naruto moaned as his sensitive spine was hurt again. Kyuubi threw him hard into an iron bar. Naruto's head was ringing and he was surely bleeding heavily from that hit. He couldn't even think properly.

Naruto forced his head up and puked, then spat up blood. He tried to sit up, and failed. His face hit the puddle of water, sick and blood. He lay down, defeated, finished, done. Kyuubi walked up to him and smiled, flipping him over so he wouldn't drown.

**"So... pitiful. What does your bitch see in you?"**

At the insult, Naruto didn't just get up, he leapt. Kyuubi stood in shock as Naruto bit him, actually bit him, hard, in the neck. Kyuubi felt blood actually fly out of the vein Naruto had struck. The demon swore and sent Naruto back to the real world. For a long time Naruto could feel Kyuubi healing himself. Until he would be found Naruto lay, trying not to irritate the injuries that had become real. Then, finally, that night, he felt the world slip and give way to darkness. The darkness that mimicked a cell he knew.

Naruto awoke what he assumed was the next morning in a very bouncy bed. That could mean only one thing, hospital. His body had bandages all over it. His arms were in casts and his head practically had a turban around it. Naruto sighed and looked around. He saw a calendar and picked it up. It told him that this was late September. Naruto stared at it in awe and shock. Never, not once had he been out for more then one day. He had been out for months, seven according to the calendar.

He looked quickly for the button to call the nurse and hit it. Soon enough someone came up and Naruto was... slightly less the polite.

"What the fuck happened to me?!"

"Sir, I am not sure, you had more then severe injuries and your body seemed to be fighting itself. It's a wonder that your even alive at all."

Naruto stood shocked at her. Kyuubi should've healed him long ago. Naruto put that thought aside for the moment and turned his attention to the nurse.

"Is Temari here? The sister of the Kazekage."

"Oh her, yes, she is going to give birth sometime soon with think, so she's in the hall on your right. You are up after all if you want to go to her. She has asked about you every single time we go in. She slept by your side night after night while you wavered in and out of practical death."

Naruto ran out of the room, still in the hospital gown. He found Temari's room and opened the door before walking in. She looked up at him and he could see happiness all throughout her face and a world of love in her eyes. Naruto went to her and kneeled before her. She placed her hand on his face and he kissed her deeply. She smiled at him and then spoke.

"I love you." she said.

"And I you," he responded. "I heard what you did for me while I was out. _It _stopped healing me apparently. I don't know why. I am so sorry I worried you."

"It's ok," she said. "I would wait for eternity and afterwards for you."

"I'll be more careful if you want." he said.

"I think I might prefer not dying of stress from seeing you half-beheaded again."

Naruto kissed her and rubbed her stomach a little. He felt a small pressure against his hand and saw her wince a little.

"He has a strong kick." Naruto said.

"Just like his father I guess."

Naruto laughed.

"Flattery only works on me if you do it, you know that?"

She smiled in return and kissed him again.

The weeks went on and still their child was unborn. He was alive and healthy though, and didn't look as though he'd be premature. Naruto's birthday had been spent by Temari's bedside, and Gaara and Sasuke came down to celebrate. It was a small occasion, and one of Naruto's happiest moments. It was now November sixth and Naruto was returning home. He stopped by at a jewelry shop to get a ring for Temari. He pocketed his purchase with his stomach doing stupid flip-flops.

He had home and lay inside his own bed to sleep. He covered himself with one thick blanket and removed his clothes before tossing them into a hamper. He sighed little and tried to get some sleep. He tried, and tried and tired. Sleep didn't come to him at all that night. All he did all night was lay and toss and turn underneath the damn blanket. Naruto's rage seemed to come from it. Everything that was wrong came from it directly. So, he threw it angrily at the wall which did nothing.

He got up and dress nicely. A white shirt when into his black slacks and put on some nice sandals. Then he put on a long black cloak over all the rest of his clothes and last, but not least he put on his red headband. He looked at himself in the mirror. He sigh and untied the headband and left if on top of his vest. After all, today, he was not a ninja today, but a lover. Naruto walked out of his house and to the hospital in a record of walking time. He asked the nurse for permission to visit that was given almost at once.

He walked up to Temari's door and grabbed the cool, hard, steel handle before opening the large block of wood or plastic or whatever it was. He saw Temari laying, sleeping in her bed and he moved to her, quiet as a shadow, as he always was. He leaned forward and kissed his lover on the forehead. She opened bleary eyes and saw him smiling at her.

"Happy birthday, Temari-hime."

"Morning, Naruto-kun."

She kissed him deeply and he returned it happily.

"You want your present now?" he asked.

"Sure, just hand me a wet rag first, I want to wake up a little."

Naruto did as she asked and she wiped her face then looked at him. It occurred to Naruto that she was totally innocent and had no clue of what he was about to do. Naruto gulped a little and pulled out the package that was just black with no other adornments. He had to do this right. He kneeled down on one knee and opened the box slowly. Inside was a wonderful ring adorned with diamonds and her birthstone. Her mouth hung open, almost stunned as he spoke in a wavering voice.

"Temari, I love you so much. I want to spend my life with you. I want to die and know I can be with you forever. Will you become Temari Uzamaki?"

Temari's mouth moved for a decent amount of time before words began to come out of it.

"Yes! Yes! A million times yes!"

Naruto happily threw his arms around his fiance as she cried with happiness into his shoulder. He held her close to him and he rocked her back and forth a little. She broke apart from him and smiled, wiping up her tears as he nuzzled her forehead with his. Then he felt another presence behind him and knew it had been there for a while. He turned around slowly and spoke.

"Ma'am, we aren't a movie you know."

"I apologize," she said. "I just happened to here you talking and it was all so romantic and... sorry."

Naruto rolled his eyes and put and caring arm around Temari's shoulders. She looked up at him and kissed him and Naruto let out a long withheld breath. Yes, he had been nervous and a little goofy. Yet, it was all ok. It had all turned out alright. He kissed his future wife back.


	22. The Birth of Xilic Uzamaki

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 22: The Birth of Xilic Uzamaki

It was merely one week past Naruto's proposal when he was called in the early hour of two in the morning. He got up and dressed in record speed, yet again leaving behind his headband and chunnin cloak. He ran into the hospital quickly and didn't bother signing in or dealing with the annoying nurse. He dashed into Temari's room just as they were moving her into one of the several surgery rooms. He stood there as the great number of doctors crowded around her and began to give her instructions.

For a long time, oh so very long all that appeared to happen was that Temari tried to give birth to the baby which, to Naruto, seemed to want to stay firmly put in her stomach. It took a while, but finally the doctors got jumpy and started moving all around her. Naruto was amazed at what was taking place. He had never before seen the birth of a baby and was shocked and amazed. He walked down next to Temari's head and kneeled down. She moaned and he put his hand in her's and she squeezed it tightly. Naruto placed his other hand over her's and spoke to her.

"It's ok Temari, I'm here, you'll be ok. Just focus."

Temari went into a normal breathing pattern that one uses during birth. Naruto saw that the boy was starting to emerge and quickly comforted Temari. She clutched his hand harder and it began to smart. Naruto winced a little and said nothing because he understood she didn't mean to do it. After a long point of pushing and heaving, the doctors called Naruto over and handed him a pair of scissors to cut the umbilical cord and held the correct section up to him. Naruto grinned a little as the medical ninja handed him his child.

He walked to Temari and handed her the boy. She smiled as they wrapped him in a towel to clean him off. He cried loudly and she slowly rocked him backward and forward. Then, the doctor came to her with an official looking paper. Temari knew what was happening, the naming. Luckily they had agreed on a name already.

"Xilic, Xilic Uzamaki." she said.

Naruto smiled at her and put one arm around her shoulder while placing the other arm on top of little Xilic's head. The child calmed and turned to Naruto with still-closed eyes. Naruto smiled at him and planted a soft kiss upon the lad's brow. Then he turned to his lover. She smiled at him and then spoke.

"I love you."

"And I you." he responded.

She kissed him lightly and loosed her gown to breastfeed the child. Naruto kissed Temari's forehead and told her that he had to go. Her face was shadowed in a bit of despair, but she accepted the situation. Naruto ran quickly back to the house and put on his chunnin vest and red headband. Then, he read the scroll that had been left on the floor for him to read.

_Naruto Uzamaki:_

_Rank: Special Jonnin_

_Specialty: Fighting and Tracking_

_Mission: Track down Aukutski member Uchiha, Itachi_

_Last seen in: Near Kohona_

_Rank: S_

_Notice: Itachi is extremely dangerous, do NOT engage._

_Assigned by: Kakashi Hatake, the sixth Hokage._

Naruto smiled and thought a little. Kakashi was already assigning him missions again, maybe things never really would change that much. He tucked the scroll away and formed a few hand seals before vanishing in a flash. He reappeared with the circle office of the Hokage. Naruto made quick eye contact with Kakashi and saw the pure age that was beginning to wear down on his old sensei. Sure, Kakashi still had a good spring in his step, but he wasn't quite still in his prime.

Naruto walked over to his old sensei and embraced him. Kakashi gave his eye smile and welcomed Naruto home.

"Everyone missed you, well, your friends anyway. Neji seems to have come around again, as well as Ino. However, I don't think Kiba will truly ever come around. Shino, Shikamaru, Choji and Lee have been waiting for you with next to no patience. Also, Tsunade it waiting at your old apartment with Shizune. I must ask you, where is Jiyria?"

"Sensei… He… He fought Orochimaru, and lost."

Kakashi instantly understood and apologized.

"I understand Temari will arrive here in about one month?"

"Correct." said Naruto.

"Very well then, I shall make sure a suitable house if set up for you both, unless you would prefer to stay within your apartment?"

"Actually I think I rather would, if you don't mind sensei."

Kakashi shook his head and Naruto thanked him, and then left. He ran with his usual energy though the pack streets of Kohona and passed Shikamaru who insisted that they get together to play shoji later. He stopped in at the ramen stand he so enjoyed and found someone there he hadn't expected.

"Hey, Iruka-sensei, Gaara-sa—Gaara."

Iruka raised an eyebrow. Then his jaw dropped open.

"N-Naruto?!"

Naruto gave his old fox-like grin of happiness.

"I haven't been gone all that long Iruka sensei. Why do you have so much gray in your hair?"

Iruka sighed. He really was getting older. Naruto could see it in the way he sat hunched over. In the way that Kakashi sat. It was slightly similar to the way Jiyria had been sitting when they had talked on the night before he had passed away. Naruto shook the thought out of his head and order some noodles from Ayame. It occurred to him that he couldn't see her father. He asked about it and her face clouded over.

"He was taken three years ago, by the Aukutski, they were trying to find you, he didn't tell them what they wanted to hear. So, they killed him and dropped his body right in front of me."

Naruto got up and walked around the counter and embraced her as she cried into his shoulder. He patted her on the back soothingly and he let her weep for her father as he wept for Jiyria. It wasn't just for him though, it was also for Hinata.

Hinata. He hadn't thought about her in so long that he felt almost guilty for it. He shook it off and finished comforting his friend. Eventually she seemed to compose herself and broke from him to go and start cooking his ramen. Naruto looked over at Gaara. The Kazekage was steadily slurping down a bowl of ramen himself. Naruto shook his hand as Gaara broke away from the food to talk.

"So, how is my sister?" asked Gaara.

"She'll be just fine," said Naruto happily. "She'll be here in about a month. She's not happy about it, but we agreed we could wait to meet again. However, her child was born and he's beautiful."

"What did you name him?" asked Gaara.

Iruka meanwhile was stunned. However, he was not so dumbstruck that he couldn't speak.

"N-Naruto?" he stuttered. "When did you have a kid?! With the sister of the Kazekage no less!"

Naruto grinned a little.

"I don't know just when we got together, but to answer the actual question, she had been pregnant for about nine months."

"Well what did you name him?" asked Iruka.

Thusly, Naruto spent a large part of his afternoon at the ramen stand with the three friends listened as he bragged about his new son. Eventually Naruto saw that the sun was high in the sky and he excused himself. He disappeared again calling out the name of the fourth's most popular move. When he did get to his old apartment he noticed several things. Firstly and foremost, everything was covered by about six years worth of dust. He smiled thinking that he was still only thirteen when he'd last set foot in here.

He looked over at the couch where he'd spent several night when he couldn't bother to get to his bed that was probably set aflame. Sitting there with an attitude of her usual power and grace was Tsunade. Next to her, standing nervously was Shizune.

"Tsunade!" said Naruto and ran over to her.

He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. She responded to it happily and hugged the young man close to her. Naruto pulled away and looked at her. Not one detail had hardly changed in all his six years away. Then he turned to Shizune. She was in the same way as Kakashi and Iruka. A few gray hairs streaked what had once been a perfectly black head of hair. A few smaller wrinkles had appeared at the corners of her mouth too. Naruto walked to her.

"Naruto-kun? You have become such a strong man."

With those words, Shizune embraced him just a Tsunade had done. Once she release Tsunade looked him in the eyes and he blushed lightly. She reached up gently and stroked one of his whisker marks. Naruto fought the urge to laugh from the tickling sensation he received.

"Naruto," Tsunade said. "You've become so handsome. I heard Gaara about you and Temari. Tell me, is the child born yet?"

"Yes, not one day ago."

"Did the demonic chakra have any effect?"

Naruto paused the considered all his son's features.

"None that I am aware of."

"Good, so tell me what he looks like. This practically makes me a grandmother for real, considering that I am something of your adoptive mother. Oh and just wait until Jiyria finds out about your child. He'll probably want to train him too. Father to son to grandson, that would be legendary."

Naruto grew quiet. Then, he spoke just loud enough for the two to hear him.

"Tsunade, Jiyria-sensei is dead."

For a very long while nothing happened. The clock on the wall ticked in steady seconds, but nothing happened. It was as though everything had been frozen. Naruto's very brain seemed to have been stopped cold in it's tracks. Finally, the sannin spoke.

"W-What?"

Naruto failed to keep his voice steady and his shoulders shook as he spoke to the woman who was about four decades his senior.

"He fought Orochimaru, to keep me safe. There wasn't anything I could do. I was fighting off Itachi, Kabuto and Tobi. Kabuto and Tobi died. I don't know what happened to Itachi. Orochimaru sure got the better of sensei though. He ran him through with that grass country blade of his. When I got back to sensei, he was merely inches from death. His last wishes were that I became Hokage, to show this place that I don't have to bow down to fate. He couldn't do it, so he asked me to."

Tsunade didn't move for a long time. Then she flung herself down upon Naruto's shoulders with a force that was unintentional. She sobbed openly and loudly. Naruto patted the back of her head and she cried in pain into his shoulder. The thing about people is that no matter how much they complain about a friend, most of the time, they would give anything to bring a loved one back from the dead. This is how Tsunade felt. For all Jiyria's flaws, he was still her friend.

Naruto just continued to be physical support. He felt the tears begin to soak through his coat but allowed it. Tsunade meanwhile continually moaned Jiyria's name into his coat over and over again. Shizune was rocking back and forth on the couch.

Eventually, Naruto saw that she had calmed down enough to walk to wherever she intended to go and he left her to travel with Shizune. Naruto began to pack for his mission to stalk Itachi. He didn't take long and used Hiraishin to get the front gates. This time he didn't look back at the village as he left it. He knew that he would return before too long and looked forward to that.

"I just have to take things one step at a time. First, I must do some of these missions, then I have to reach Jonnin. After that I might join ANBU, if I don't then I'll just become Hokage after that. I will succeed, for sensei and Hinata who always believed in me."


	23. The Death of Five

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 23: The Death of Five

Naruto smiled as he walked down the dirt road that lead out of Kohona into the world. He was smiling at the irony that he didn't get much of a break after getting back, and the fact that his sensei was kind enough to understand Naruto's real potential and give him a highly ranked mission. He was almost to the forest when a small band of voices called out to him. Naruto turned quickly to see Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji and Neji standing. Naruto turned his head.

"Why are you guys coming?" he asked. "This is a stealth mission."

It was Sasuke who answered.

"We're here to make sure you 'don't' engage Itachi."

The smirk Sasuke gave and the fact that he use the quotation sign when he said 'don't' made him sure that Kakashi did want him to kill Itachi, and had sent backup. Naruto smiled as his four friends gathered around him. All of them looked more then ready to kill for him. Shikamaru held two kunai in his hands. Choji wielded a large Bo staff and had a grim face. Neji had his Byakugan activated and was constantly glancing around. Sasuke had his Sharigan blazing and kept on hand on his katana.

"Why are you three here?" asked Naruto. "Shikamaru, Choji, Neji? Why have you three come with me?"

"Naruto," said Shikamaru. "You are one of my only real friends and you have never insulted me seriously for being lazy. I know you would've helped me if ever I let on that anything was wrong. It is time I returned that friendship. Also, I don't want to be outdone by some traitor."

"Uzamaki," said Neji. "Despite my actions of a few years ago, I have again seen that you were right. I travel with you because I see clearly why you were Hinata-sama's inspiration. You can do anything. I know not why you seem so invincible to me. However, I don't care. I will fight beside and die for you Naruto."

"It's simple," said Choji. "You're a good friend and Shikamaru likes you which is more then enough for me."

"You know why I came," said Sasuke. "I would do anything for you, and this is personal."

"I promise," said Naruto. "You have the joy of killing the asshole, so long as you can do it without anyone else getting hurt.

Naruto threw his hand forward quickly and all five leapt off. While they ran from tree to tree Naruto quickly ordered the group into a queer formation. It wasn't like Shikamaru's line formation had been when they had chased down Sasuke. Naruto and Sasuke were side-by-side up front and then Neji, Shikamaru and Choji were side-by-side behind them in that order from right to left. While they continued to leap Naruto gave his explanation for the odd shape of the formation.

"It's simple. Sasuke and I are the best head on fighters; hence we're in front. Neji and Choji are where they are because they can easily get to either me and Sasuke or Shikamaru if either is attacked. Shikamaru is in the middle because he can lend his shadow aid to anyone who is having a bit of difficulty. It's perfect."

Shikamaru was the one who seemed the most surprised at the brilliance of the formation.

"He's right. It is the perfect shape for our group, provided we can keep it when attacked."

"That's where trust comes in," said Naruto.

Naruto continued to leap along with Sasuke, occasionally glancing at his friend. The bright Sharigan eyes were narrow in hate and dislike. Naruto steeled himself and allowed himself to lose his high alert of his surrounding for just one moment.

"Sasuke, keep it calm. I know why you hate this man and I understand. But haste and anger here are not the right actions. Once you ram your chidori through his heart, then you can let loose your anger, but not before or this how point will be lost. Your brother told you to hate him, detest him and despise him. You have, now learn when to hate him."

Sasuke looked at him and the eyes seemed a little sadder, and a lot calmer.

"Fine, but only because I do trust your judgment."

Naruto grinned.

"Thank you."

They continued on and it really wasn't too long before they had reached the village were Naruto had, so long ago, found Tsunade with Jiyria. He thought about the two Sannin now as the group was about the leap down into the village. Sadly, none of them made it close. For three figures in black robes tackled the five members on their way down and only Sasuke, Naruto and Shikamaru knew what was going on. Itachi, Deidara and Konan had found them and were now standing calmly in front of the five leaf-nin.

"Everyone listen," Naruto whispered urgently. "Sasuke and Shikamaru, take Itachi, Shikamaru, Sasuke is your distraction. Neji, Choji, take Deidara. Your rotation and enlargement make it easy for you two. I will take Konan, join up when you can, stay out of the city. Go!"

They all moved perfectly upon his order and spread out. Naruto stood glaring at the only female member of the Aukutski. He had heard from Kakashi about her once. She apparently could split her body into countless pieces of paper and fold them into shapes with origami, and then use those things as weapons.

_There's an easy loophole though, _thought Naruto. _Paper can't get wet. Now if I can just get some demonic chakra, I can easily drown this bitch. Hey fur ball! I'm collecting rent!_

Naruto was appalled when no answer came. The fox wasn't helping him anymore for some reason. So be it, he could still use his own chakra. He looked at Konan wondering why she had yet to even try and attack him. She spoke in a slightly seductive voice.

"Now now, must we fight? Your such a young boy and it would be a pity to have to kill you." she said.

"I am sorry, but I am not nearly ready to die."

Naruto leapt up at the same time as Neji and Choji. Sasuke and Shikamaru were still on the ground, but Naruto dismissed it. He formed blurred hand signs and shot a large flood of water at Konan she saw it and leapt up and out of the way. Then she split off so quickly and into so many pieces of paper that Naruto couldn't possibly follow it. She turned into several paper shiriken and stuck him over and over. Naruto yelled in pain and then she withdrew into her original form in front of him.

"Nice move, but now it's my turn to try." he said.

"What?!"

"You think you're the only one with a move like that?"

He drew his katana and threw it at her in a flash. She spun and caught it by the handle.

"Big mistake," said Naruto. "SPIRIT SEPARATE!"

Yet again, the blade split off into so many pieces and so rapidly that not even the Sharigan could've followed and reacted in time. He brought his hands down in another seal.

"SPIRIT: SHREAD HER!"

The blade ran after Konan who quickly split herself into multiple pieces again. Quickly, but not quickly enough. Naruto's shards flung right though the girl several times. She re-formed, bloody, dying, beaten. Naruto put his blade back together and then drew his dagger to behead her. Konan looked up and saw the flash of cold, dead steel and then never saw anything ever again. Naruto grimly sheathed his blade and then ran to where Neji and Choji grimly fought Deidara.

It wasn't as though they weren't putting up a fight, the truth was that there were simple too many explosions. Neji was nearly out of chakra and Choji lay bleeding on the ground, utterly spent. Naruto held back his tears and then whispered to Neji and the two ran at the man in a line formation, with Naruto behind Neji. Deidara threw explosions at Neji who waited until the last second to use rotation and flung them away before falling to the ground, out of chakra and energy.

Naruto ran at Deidara, he and a clone were holding his special resengan attack in front of them to slam it into the Aukutski member. Deidara leapt back and off the edge of a cliff to avoid the blow, only to find four more shadow clones each grab a limb and slam him hard into the ground. As he was recovering from that terrible blow, the real Naruto slammed his knee into Deidara and then formed four hand seals before the Chidori crackled to life in his left hand and then a resengan swirled in his right.

Slamming the two together he called out the name of the attack will obliterating Deidara, "CHIDORESENGAN!"

Naruto fell back and dismissed the shadow clones, feeling a little drained. He didn't usually use this much chakra without beginning to draw on the fox chakra. He wasn't nearly out of his own though and ran back up the side of the cliff where, to his surprise, Sasuke, Shikamaru and Itachi had still not moved. They were talking.

"Why have you abandoned your hate of me little brother?"

"I haven't," said Sasuke. "Not by a long shot, I have merely controlled it. Now Itachi, enough talk, come, fight us!"

Naruto and Shikamaru both noticed Itachi's surprise at the word _us. _Sasuke _had _indeed controlled his anger. Naruto stood next to Sasuke. Sasuke held his drawn Katana in this right hand and Naruto held his in his left hand. They ran forward, using their signature move.

"UZAMAKI, UCHIHA, CHIDORESENGAN!"

Itachi dodged the move by a mile and the two didn't break at all, but came at him, striking quickly with the blades. Itachi smoothly dodged from left to right, only once in a while blocking the blows. He saw Shikamaru standing back and rushed at him. The shadow user panicked and sent several steams at Itachi to try and stop. Both Naruto and Sasuke threw kunai, but missed Itachi's graceful form. What didn't miss was Itachi's Mangekyo Sharigan. Sasuke and Naruto never learned what Itachi made his see, but whatever it was caused Shikamaru to fall to the ground weeping.

"Now," said Itachi. "Die."

He stuck Shikamaru through the heart with a kunai. Naruto felt rage such as he had never known flow through his blood. He felt power, and ability flow through him. What scared Sasuke and Itachi was that his eyes were not a demonic red. They were a cold hard, deadly blue. Naruto disappeared and reappeared right behind Itachi before striking him. Itachi rarely felt pain, yet now, it hit him hard. With on single blow Naruto sent his form flying up and through three large trees.

Naruto wasn't nearly done yet. He ran at the Aukutski member and yanked his body out of the tree. Naruto punched him hard in the gut and Itachi doubled over. Then, Naruto spun and kicked him face down in the dirt. Itachi spat up blood then quickly turned to hit Naruto, only to see Naruto sandal connect with his face. The boy's rage carried him far faster then any demonic chakra ever could. He had kicked Itachi up in the air. Naruto leapt up to be level with him and then grabbed him before they both fell back to earth.

Naruto turned over in mid-air so Itachi was on the bottom and planted an elbow in the Uchiha's neck. He cried out in pain and spat up more blood. Itachi flung Naruto off of him and was about to attack when another set of hands grabbed him from behind and put him into a full nelson. Neji was standing holding the Uchiha back with all his might.

"Do-it… Now Uchiha. Run him… through!"

"I can't," said Sasuke. "I'd kill you too."

"I'll die either way! Just finish the mission!"

With a grim expression, Sasuke formed the ox, hare, monkey and dog seal before the chidori crackled to life in his left hand. He ran at Itachi as fast as he possibly could and stabbed him in the heart. Both Neji and Itachi feel to the ground in a large pool of blood. Quick as a flash, Naruto ran up to Neji and Sasuke to Itachi. Both put their hands to the other's neck and felt the pulse. There was none on either body. Naruto wept for Neji and Shikamaru while both went to carry Choji, who was knocked out, back to Kohona.


	24. The Seventh Hokage

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 24: The Seventh Hokage

When Naruto, Sasuke and Choji finally did get back to Kohona, they were helped to Kakashi by three ANBU members. Naruto wondered just how important they actually were. Then, his thoughts turned to Choji as they set the ninja down in front of the Hokage. He quickly ordered a group of medical ninjas to set to work and Naruto looked around. Kakashi had several stacks of paperwork upon his desk. He was easily stressed, as several bottles of caffeine products were laying everywhere.

Naruto could see that Kakashi was tired. He was practically dying. Nevertheless he turned to Naruto quickly and spoke. Naruto had no way of know what was about to happen. However, if he had, he would've reclaimed himself for the sake of decency. However he did not know what was to happen. Kakashi spoke in a common official voice.

"Naruto Uzamaki, for your success on the most recent mission, and the successful defeat and destruction of five members of the formation known as the Aukutski, I pronounce you Jonnin teacher of Kohona. Your genin team, should you wish to accept them is waiting the classroom A3."

"Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"Furthermore, Under the law of Kohona, I am obliged to suggest a replacement roughly one year in advance of my retirement from my Shinobi career. Should you accept, you will be made Hokage of all of Kohona within one year. Do you accept the terms of this, including but not limited to protecting each and every citizen within the fire countries boarders."

"I do."

"Then I name, Naruto Uzamaki, the future seventh Hokage."

Naruto bowed lowly. Torn between past grief and happiness. As soon as he was presented with his ring that marked him as the next Hokage he leapt up in the air happily. Kakashi gave his eye smile as Sasuke gave a very small grin. Naruto went back home to relax and allowed himself the wonder of sleep. When he awoke in the morning, his grief was dulling. As a ninja he understood that there would be a time to grieve for Shikamaru and Neji but it was not now. He walked down and grabbed the scroll waiting at his door.

_Mission to: Naruto Uzamaki_

_Mission rank: C rank_

_Mission debriefing:_

_Accompany Temari of Suna from the hidden mist village to the hidden leaf village._

_Allowed time: 12 hours_

_Mission allies: None_

Naruto smiled, knowing that Kakashi wanted him to use his Hiraishin in this mission to get to the mist and to bring her back. He went back to his room and changed quickly. He stripped and put on a black sleeveless shirt and then added his black pants and Chunnin vest. Lastly, he added his red headband and a black wristband on each arm. Without wasting anymore time, he formed a few seals and disappeared in a flash and a crack like thunder. He appeared in the mist rather suddenly. He wasn't at all discrete as he leapt to Temari's room.

"How the hell—Naruto!"

"Hello," he said. "Temari-hime."

Naruto's grin widened considerably as Temari gave him a gentle smile. He leaned forward and gave her a small kiss. She hugged him close and he quickly had a moment of awkwardness in knowing that he was late to pick up his genin team. He resurfaced from the kiss and then explained in a rapid mutter then used his Hiraishin to appear just outside of the academy. He moaned because he was over an hour late.

"If this keeps up I'll be just Like Kakashi-sensei," he groaned.

He ran in quickly and then stopped outside the classroom where he'd seen Kakashi at when he was graduating from the place. He saw three young newly graduated genin sitting with their headbands proudly displayed on their foreheads. He recognized one of them quickly, though he'd rarely seen her. It was the only female member of his team, Hanabi, Hinata's younger sister. She had her headband around her neck and wore a set of dark purple pants beneath a sleeveless dark shirt.

There was a boy who had sandy blonde hair and it fell to his shoulders. He wore his headband on his head and proudly held himself in black clothes with a blood-red cloak covering most of his body. There was one more boy who was giggling to himself. Looking up, Naruto noticed the eraser that reminded him so much of himself. The last boy had hair that was almost white-blonde and he too wore a headband on his forehead. He also wore white clothes. Naruto walked in and allowed the eraser to strike him lightly on the head.

"My first impression of you," said Naruto, again copying his sensei. "I hate you all."

Their faces fell, save Hanabi, who's long dark hair hid her face from him. He spoke again, as though he didn't care less about this bunch of genin.

"Meet me on the roof in ten minutes, five if you can manage."

"Are you kidding?!" asked the boy in white clothes. "I can do it in thirty seconds."

Naruto held back a grin and used Hiraishin again to vanish. When five minutes passed, the group landed in front of him on the roof. Of course, the boy with light blonde hair hadn't made it up their in his pre-exclaimed time. Naruto looked at them all.

"How about you tell me about yourselves. What your good at, what you like, what you dislike, your goals and how about why you even became ninja?"

"Could you go first sensei?" asked Hanabi. "To show us how it's done."

"Fine," said Naruto. "My name is Naruto Uzamaki. I am a skilled fighter and tracker. I like a small group of people alongside of ramen. There are a great many people whom I dislike and one particular foe, which is not quite human. My goal is to become the seventh Hokage and I am about to fulfill it. As for why I became a ninja, I had a complicated past and wanted more respect. Now you, miss cool, dark and shady."

"My name is Hanabi Hyuuga," said Hanabi. "I am skilled in my clan's taijutsu and I know a few ninjutsu. I don't really like a whole lot. I dislike a lot of things and one person in particular who took something very important from me. My goal is to exact my revenge and to become the clan head. I became a ninja to fulfill my destiny as a Hyuuga member."

Naruto thought he didn't like this girl at all. She was a strong mix between avenger Sasuke and fate-stick-up-my-ass Neji. He would work on that later. If only Neji were still alive… Well maybe Sasuke could talk with her.

"Now you, mr. Pale as the moon in clothes and hair."

"My name is Raiaka Ookami," he said, not at all offended. "I am good in just taijutsu, because I don't have very much chakra. I like people who are honest and dislike those who lie. My goal is to be the best ninja in the entire world. The reason I became a ninja is to show everyone that I can be the best!"

"A noble goal. Now you, sir I stuff my hair inside the gutters."

"Sir!" said the boy. "My name is Akuma Aoiusagi. I am good at weapons and I have plenty of chakra for any ninjutsu that I could learn. I don't like or dislike much. My goal is to become ANBU and I became a ninja to protect people."

"Hm… Overall, worthless losers."

Raiaka jumped up at this.

"What the hell! I'll take you on right now!"

Naruto smirked.

"You'll have your chance. Meet me on the training field tomorrow at eight o' clock on field nine. Oh and if you don't want to be sick, skip breakfast next morning. Also, you may want to train a little if you want to remain genin."

He used Hiraishin and flashed away. He reappeared in his apartment and then saw Temari. He smiled and held her hand.

"So, you made Jonnin?" she asked.

"Yes, and my genin team is… interesting, but with a little work they may not be bad. Did you finish unpacking?"

"Yes, little Xilic has found amusement in crying to make me run into the room even if nothing's wrong with him."

Naruto laughed lightly.

"Already a prankster just like your old man."

"Not so old yet though," said Temari.

Naruto smiled and kissed her lightly on the brow. He lay down with her and spent the rest of his day with her, determined to be there for his son, despite his being a ninja. He looked at the ring Kakashi had given him. It wasn't large or overly stunning. It was however, exactly what signified the coming of the next Hokage. He slipped on his right hand on his middle finger. Until late in the night, Naruto spent most of his time between Xilic and Temari.

When late night finally did come, he and Temari lay down in the bed with Xilic between them. He was extremely tired and relatively passed out. When he awoke in the morning, he was up long before the other two. It surprised him that they had ever been aloud to sleep, as Xilic had awoken them with his wailing several times within the night. He was rather disappointed with himself for leaving her and reminded himself that he would make it up to her.

Then he began to get dressed. He went to his closet and looked around a little. He finally chose to grab a set of black pants that were wrapped from the shin down. Then he slipped on black sandals and pulled on a dark blue long-sleeved shirt. Then he put on the Chunnin vest and lastly added on three things. His red headband, his Jonnin fingerless gloves and last, but not least he put on a black trench-coat with the Uzamaki spiral on the back in a red as dark as blood.

Then he formed a few hand seals and disappeared with Hiraishin. He appeared on the field a couple hours before his team. He used the time for a bit of a warm-up, not that he needed it for the test, but he wanted to stay alert. He removed his cloak, vest and shirt and then began to go through taijutsu stances. He flowed smoothly from strike to strike. He didn't break, he didn't stumble or stop once. He repeatedly did handsprings and cartwheels often to mix things up.

Eventually he could feel his team approaching and redressed. When the very first of them arrived, he was standing as though asleep. It has Hanabi. She raised an eyebrow and walked up to him. She carefully shook his arm.

"Naruto-sensei?"

He pretended to give a start and then looked down at her.

"I am sorry, I fell asleep," he said.

The other two arrived before long and, just as he had hoped, Hanabi wasted no time in telling her team that Naruto was tired. He was giving them a little bit of false hope. He held out two bells and began to explained it to them.

"It's simple. You get a bell from me before noon, you stay genin. You fail and it's back to the academy for another year. Come at me with the attempt to kill."

He fit the bells around his belt and gave a call for a start. Three shadows moved off in a flash and they all hid rather well. He nodded a little impressed. Then Hanabi came rushing at him. She had a kunai knife in her hand and leapt at him. She began kicking and then slicing at him in a quick and complicated pattern. Naruto raised his eyebrows impressed. She was actually trying to kill him, for real. She wasn't just going to hurt him, but kill him.

Nevertheless, her moves were amateur and too new for it to matter. He calmly blocked her strikes and then she tried using several traps to kill him. They were easy to see and he was barely touched. He looked around Raiaka and Akuma were talking.

"Well at least two of my team gets it." he muttered under his breath, as Hanabi continued to try and pound him.


	25. Naruto, Jonnin and Father

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 25: Naruto, Jonnin and Father

Hanabi continued trying to get past his flawless defense with no success. The stronger her punches the more force he resisted with. Finally she seemed to accept the fact that she was in way over her head with him as an opponent. He grinned a little as she back flipped to avoid taking too much damage from him. Then he looked around. Raiaka and Akuma came running at him. Akuma stopped before long and began tossing shiriken at Naruto to cover Raiaka. Eventually, Raiaka reached Naruto and struck hard.

Naruto had just finished dodging four kunai and three shiriken followed by a whirling pole. He let Raiaka think he stole one bell from him. Raiaka grinned and reached for another. However, Naruto wasn't letting them quit that easy and kicked Raiaka back. Now came the true challenge. How did you act when only one bell was left? Raiaka tossed his bell to Hanabi who looked at him.

"It's a team exercise," Naruto heard him explain.

In that moment Naruto knew all three had passed. Now Akuma was throwing weapons rapidly at Naruto. He was pretending to be too busy dodging them to stop Hanabi forming seals. She used one of his own moves, lighting line on him. He dodged it and saw Raiaka running beneath him, grabbing the final bell. Naruto turned to them and smiled at Akuma. He was the only one without a bell.

"Well, well," said Naruto. "Here are your lunches, Raiaka, Hanabi. And of course Akuma, yours is mine."

As Akuma reacted angrily, Naruto threw a shiriken with a string wrapped through the loop to effectively tie him to the stump. Then he grabbed "Akuma's" lunch and walked off to the Hokage tower. When he arrived Kakashi sat behind his desk, struggling to finish the paperwork faster then it came in. Naruto smirked and did the shadow clone jutsu to help him out.

"Thank you, Naruto."

"Anytime Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto.

"How does your genin team fare?"

"Well enough. Hanabi is nothing unexpected. Top of her class, good in nin and tai jutsu. Raiaka is eager and a little hyper, but he'll mellow out and is best in taijutsu. Also, no he will not resort to spandex. Lastly, Akuma is mostly a weapons user. They passed the bell test with flying colors. If I am not very much mistaken, they are feeding each other lunch right now."

"Fine," said Kakashi. "Here is your first mission. If you feel they are not ready for something of C rank…"

"Kakashi, I am there. Besides, C-ranks are actually easy, usually ninja aren't on a C-Rank."

"Fine, but defend them."

"Of course," he said. "Though I have to ask, why not a D-rank?"

"You wouldn't accept it, and they went through several D-rank in the academy."

Naruto smiled and leapt off. He wasn't set to leave until three days from now, plenty of time to get used to his team on a working level. When he arrived, Hanabi and Raiaka were indeed feeding Akuma bits of their lunch. Naruto sent off a huge wave of chakra and yelled at them.

"YOU THREE!"

They all got close together and stared at him in fear.

"You all… pass!"

They were stunned, then smiled and laughed together, untying Akuma.

"I want you all here, ready to train at eight a.m. ok?"

"Yes Naruto-sensei!" rang at him.

"Hanabi," he said. "Can I talk with you for a moment?"

"Sure sensei, what is it?"

"I want to you stay put for just a moment would you?"

"Sure."

Naruto used Hiraishin and vanished to reappear within the walls of the Uchiha compound. Everything was black. The walls, the floors, even the ceiling. It smells as though it was constantly cleaned. Naruto saw Sasuke in the sparring room, training hard. He opened the door and Sasuke stopped, sheathing the katana.

"Hey," said Sasuke.

"Hey, Sasuke, I need a favor of you."

"What do you need? If it is money I can always—"

"No," said Naruto. "Nothing like that. I need you to talk to one of my genin."

"Hanabi, I heard about it. Sure, I'll take to her."

"Thank you."

At that Naruto helped Sasuke teleport to talk with his vengeful student. Naruto himself decided to visit Temari and Xilic again for a while before training. He used his famous Hiraishin again and materialized in his own house and saw Temari feeding Xilic and smiling at him. Naruto walked to her and kissed her lightly on the brow, then little Xilic. The child made odd sounds and noises that couldn't truly be counted as any form of speech. Temari meanwhile, talked to Naruto about what their boy had been up to.

"He's finally beginning to understand reactions, but sadly most of those involve me falling over something."

Naruto shook his head.

"What are we going to do with you?"

He looked over at Temari. He could see the bags under her eyes that he knew he must have as well. As neither had slept properly last night they were both tired. Temari could've been up very many nights. He pitied her and decided to do something for her as her lover.

"Here," he said. "I'll take parent duty tonight. You need a proper rest."

"I can't do that," she said. "You'll be up all night."

"Then I shall consider it training," he joked. "The greatest ninja task of all! Watching the baby who likes to make you fall over pre-set traps and cry for no apparent reason! If I can't do this then I can never become the Hokage! Besides how many diapers can he go through in just one night?"

By midnight Naruto had found out just how many diapers a baby could go through in one night.

"Man you must be a ninja baby!" he whispered. "I thought three had you covered. I had to go down to the supermarket. They don't like me there."

Xilic made dove sounds and giggled in a slightly shrill voice.

"Well, one of us is happy."

He picked Xilic up after changing him yet again and put the young baby up on his shoulder. Then Xilic began to whimper.

"Shush, here." said Naruto, putting a bottle into Xilic's mouth.

The persistent babe spat it out again. Naruto resisted the urge to swear and tried the pacifier. Yet again the baby rejected the object. Naruto checked him.

"You can not possibly need changing again."

To his relief Xilic did not need another changing. However, he was still very clearly dissatisfied with something in the current status of his life. Naruto thought through his limited knowledge of babies. He returned Xilic to his shoulder. He patted the babe on the back, trying to sooth and burp him at the same time. Xilic bounced a little and decided to put his past meal all over Naruto's back. Naruto groaned.

"At least I don't actually like this shirt."

He took the shirt off and was careful to replace it with one that he didn't wear that often, purely because it was a little too bright. Naruto checked the clock. It was only twelve thirty. He groaned again and lay down on the couch, with Xilic on top of him. For one blissful hour he slept. It was much needed and rudely interrupted when Xilic decided to announce in the loudest of ways that he was not happy with the current age of his diaper by wetting it and then crying. Naruto got up quickly.

"Come on! Again!"

He put Xilic on the changing table and replaced the dirty diaper with powder and a fresh one. This lead to Naruto bouncing Xilic lightly around the room for another half-hour before he fell asleep again. This time, when Naruto lay down, the child was kind enough to let him have a few hours of rest. Naruto was again awoken at around five, this time by the alarm clock, which of course set off the wailing machine that was his son. Naruto struggled to bounce his son and calm him. When Temari came down the stairs Naruto hurried to her.

"Please," he said. "Make it stop!"

"Aw…" she said. "Poor Naruto-kun. This is why you don't offer to babysit all night. Xilic-kun… did you keep your father up all night?"

"On and off yes. He is going to poop us out of house and home. Never have I thought of a use for so many diapers."

Temari giggled and then looked at him. She pointed at his shoulder.

"You got a little—"

"I know," he said.

He kissed her lightly then went up to shower and change. When he had toughly washed himself, he put on some of his favorite clothes. He put on his black shirt with the leaf and sand symbols on it, and some slim black slacks below that. Then, he put on his vest, headband and looked at something that he swore never to wear until he was Hokage, his father's cloak.

"In just a few years," he said to it. "Then I shall wear you."

He put on his own cloak instead. He liked orange, despite it not being practical. So he put on and orange cloak with black flames. Whenever he was ready to go, he used Hiraishin and vanished in a flash of lightning and a large crack like thunder, or like the snap of a god's whip. He appeared in Kakashi's office and saw the Hokage sitting far more relaxed behind his desk.

"Ah… Naruto, my protégé, what brings you here?"

"Merely a question sensei. Is my team to take Orochimaru at some point?"

Kakashi stared at him blankly.

"Not your genin team no. They may be assigned to you, but a much larger team must come along. How old are you know?"

"Nineteen sensei."

"You'll be twenty-four just before this mission goes off. In fact, it will be your final test before becoming Hokage. However as I said there will be many alongside you. In fact this has been very thought out. You, Sasuke, Choji, Myself, Iruka, Tsunade Konahamaru and Shizune shall all be coming along. Oh I forgot, Gaara and Kankuro shall be coming then too."

Naruto's eyes widened.

"You have five years to think on it. However, right now I think you should go and take on your genin team. And Naruto—"

"Yes?"

"Don't… Don't make my mistakes."

"You never made any mistakes that you didn't atone for sensei."

Kakashi remain quiet. He wouldn't speak of it anymore, he didn't want to and he wouldn't. Naruto walked away to the genin fields where his team was waiting for him, as he had expected. He was pleased. He called to them and all of them, even Hanabi looked happy to see him. He gave out order quickly.

"Raiaka, Akuma, start some chakra control moves and go through your basic taijutsu. Raiaka, trade in the chakra control for advanced Taijutsu."

They did as he asked and then he looked at Hanabi.

"How did your talk with Uchiha-san go?"

"I suspected I had you to thank for that. He taught me a lot. He told me everything, about his fight with you, about betraying the village in an attempt to kill his brother and about how he hated himself for betraying you. He really looks up to you sensei. He said 'I would've had to kill myself if Naruto wasn't there. He's a light in the dark.' is what he said. He also said that he would die for you in a heartbeat. That he loves you more then he's ever cared about anyone or anything."

Naruto nodded, slightly teary-eyed.

"So you will give up on your revenge now?"

"I guess, thanks for getting him to talk to me."

"Anytime, now go join Akuma in the exercises, then we will see what you can really do."

Naruto smiled as Hanabi ran off.

"I might not be such a bad Jonnin instructor after all, although I do have to ask Temari-hime how she is so good with Xilic."


	26. Mission

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 25: Mission

It had been five full years from the time that Naruto had agreed to take on Xilic for the whole night. Now, Naruto's genin team were all Chunnin. This made no difference save that instead of being team eight, they were team Naruto. Naruto was twenty-four whereas Temari was twenty-six. Their son was now around five and a half. He had begun learning and speaking small phrases, as well as developing his own personality. He acted like Naruto often, playing small, unimpressive pranks on his parents, though if he ever thought about anything, he was much more like Temari.

When Naruto made it to where his team was resting calmly, they all leapt up. Every time he appeared, they started with a sparing lesson. Hanabi had a kunai in hand and her Byakugan already activated. Akuma had a long sword in one hand and his other hand up and ready for one-handed seals. Meanwhile, Raiaka was already rushing at Naruto while tossing off his weights. Naruto pulled out his Katana and crouched down, ready for any of them. It was Raiaka and Akuma who struck first.

Naruto dodged the throw blade and was forced to cross his arms to block Raiaka's kick, sending him higher into the air. Hanabi appeared above him, forming quick hand signs. Then she stopped on the tiger seals and called out her attack.

"Fire style: Fireball jutsu!"

Naruto used Hiraishin and got out of the way, and reappeared next to Akuma. Naruto moved in on him quickly, striking fast as a snake. Akuma was forced to give ground rapidly under his sensei's assault. He called out to Raiaka and Hanabi.

"Guys! I can't hold him off for long!"

Raiaka was there in a second. He quickly struck at Naruto, driving him off of Akuma. Hanabi ran to his aid while Akuma tossed shiriken at Naruto. They were backing him up and off the side of the cliff. He let it happen and leapt off the side of death. Raiaka grinned.

"Watch out," said Hanabi. "Sensei is tricky."

Naruto quickly tossed two kunai with string in them up to the trees above. They circled around it and he yanked up. Then he came flying up and over the lips of the rocky edge. Raiaka sneered and then ran at him. Naruto grinned and readied himself. Hanabi stepped back and then used several wind jutsu from the Hyuuga on him. Naruto managed to stay out of the way. Raiaka just kept pushing, keeping Naruto on his toes. The Jonnin was faster then him though and held his ground.

Raiaka smiled as Hanabi fired small jutsu at him while Akuma threw shiriken and kunai at him. Naruto was forced to use a high amount of his chakra and speed to keep for falling victim to his team. He constantly used Hiraishin if he was becoming overwhelmed. Though he wasn't using any real jutsu or even beginning to draw on Kyuubi's chakra, then group was good enough to keep Naruto up on his toes. The battle continued on until Naruto and his squad, all utterly spent, hit the ground gasping.

"Very—very good."

Naruto's voice was light and glad, comforting. He sighed and dismissed them. Raiaka and Akuma went off quickly, while Hanabi stayed behind. Naruto turned around, looking at her. She had a small blush on her face and looked as though she wished not to speak, yet had to.

"Naruto-sensei?"

"Yes, Hanabi?"

"Did Sasuke-san tell you who I was I wished to kill when we first became a genin team?"

"He did not," said Naruto.

"It was you sensei."

Her statement completely bewildered him. He looked at her with a wide-eyed expression.

"Why me?" he asked.

"You were the only one I could blame for my sister's death."

Naruto suddenly knew just why she had hated him.

_Hinata saw Sakura running at her love with the kunai and knew she could never make it in time to stop Sakura's strike. Hinata was in love with Naruto. Love, of course, starts to turn into devotion, and Hinata was deeply devoted to Naruto. So, she acted as the crazy world of love demanded she act. She threw herself in front of the kunai to protect the man she loved. Sakura only saw Hinata for a split second before it happened, and nobody could've stopped it, and Hinata had her arms spread out of protect Naruto, so she couldn't attack. Sakura ran Hinata through the chest with the kunai._

_Sakura saw what she had done and fell to the ground, holding her head and sobbing uncontrollably. Naruto opened his eyes that had been closed waiting for death. He saw little Hinata standing there, bleeding from the kunai that was lodged in her chest. She fell backwards onto Naruto, and he held her weakly in his arms. Hinata looked at the man she loved and knew that she must tell him, before she left the world of the living._

_"N-Naruto-kun... please... l-let me... speak," Hinata managed to say, and Naruto nodded slowly. "I... I al-always, lo- loved you... Naruto-kun."_

_Hinata, having said her piece laid her head back, prepared to die, but kept her eyes open, wanting Naruto to be the last thing she saw. Naruto struggled not to pass out from pain as he held Hinata in his arms. The news she had delivered to him shocked him. He was so desperate, so waiting, for affection that he took it from the woman dying in his arms._

_"Hinata, why didn't you tell me?" he asked. "We could've been together for months, years maybe. I'm sorry I never looked at you Hinata Hyuuga. I'm so sorry."_

_Hinata looked at the man she loved, and knew that this was it. She was really going to die. Hinata looked at the man, and asked for the one thing she had always wanted from him, but had always been too afraid to ask of him. She loved him too much to die without it._

_"Naruto... Naruto-kun," she begged. "Please... k-kiss me."_

_Naruto bent towards her to oblige, and their lips connected in a loving, first and final kiss between the two children. They broke apart, and Naruto held Hinata's head to his chest as her eyes misted over, and all life went out her._

Yet, as Naruto remembered, he knew something else too. Hanabi had not seen what he had seen. She had seen nearly none of his love. In fact, she had seen something quite different. She had been still in the city at the time.

_Sakura Haruno was running far off into the distance, where two small figures were coming back, one slouched over the other. She saw one getting hit for something or other, an enemy maybe? If so, then why did no one else help her, and who were they dragging. Then Hanabi saw a flitting figure, barely visible against the near darkness of dawn. Nevertheless, she saw the figure was her sister and chased after her._

_Contrary to popular belief, Hanabi did love Hinata. They were siblings, and didn't actually hate each other. This meant that no matter how often they fought they would return to being good friends sooner or later._

_Hanabi chased her sister's shadow, surprised that Hinata could even go this fast, as this far outstripped her previous speeds in training. By the time she looked up again, Hinata was laying, dying in Naruto's arms. Hanabi felt tears flow from her eyes, burning her skin. She looked at Naruto and he leaned forward, kissing her._

"_You monster," she moaned. "You killed her, and kissed her."_

_She saw Haruno pull out a kunai and grinned, ready to join in, when everyone else decided to get in the way._

"I don't think I ever forgave you for that Naruto-sensei, then Sasuke spoke to me and told me the truth. I have to say, you really have a way of bring the best out of people Naruto-sensei. You've changed me and I am forever thankful to you for that. I learned to have friends from hanging out with you and Raiaka-kun and Akuma-kun."

"It's not a problem, but I really must go now. No mission today or tomorrow because I'm going away. However, that doesn't mean you can slack off on your training."

Hanabi grinned lightly.

"Do I ever?"

"I suppose not."

Naruto vanished on the spot with a large crack like thunder. He reappeared at Kohona's main front gates. Standing waiting for him were Iruka, Kakashi, Tsunade, Choji, Konahamaru, Sasuke and Kiba. Naruto looked at the last a little surprised.

"So," he said to Kiba. "Why are you coming?"

"I was in the wrong for what I said about you, this is my way of atoning for it."

Naruto nodded a little.

"Tsunade, why are you coming? You're not a Shinobi anymore."

"I'm not coming on a mission," she said. "I am just a civilian who happens to be traveling in the same direction at the same time. Also, I just happen to want Orochimaru dead just a much as you do. So are we all ready?"

"Yes," said Sasuke, turning to Kakashi. "This must be legendary, the Hokage leaving the leaf village for a mission I mean."

"Not for much longer," said Kakashi, nodding to Naruto.

They all grabbed a hold of Naruto who used his Hiraishin again.

"Damn," said Sasuke. "As useful as that is, I will never get used to it."

Naruto held a finger to his lips and point down, putting his head to the ground. He could hear a very faint ticking. His pupils widened and adrenaline overtook him. He leapt slowly out of the way, shouting, but not hearing himself. He saw the blast go off and engulf the immediate area in a large inferno. Choji and Konahamaru were flying through the air, badly burnt. Naruto could feel the red chakra start to pour from him.

"**You bastard!"** he yelled. "**Now I think I am going to really enjoy ripping you limb by limb!"**

Naruto ran forward with a speed and grace only he could display and struck Orochimaru hard across the face. The Sannin gasped and looked back at the man. Naruto punched him, then kneed him in the gut. Orochimaru gasped again and back flipped to give himself some ground.

"Ku ku ku. Little Naruto-kun has gotten better."

A loud crackling filled the air and Orochimaru turned to see Sasuke standing with a Chidori.

"Ah, my my, Sasuke-kun, someone has gotten better as well."

"That's right," said Sasuke. "I can control my fear and hate of you, as I did of my brother."

Sasuke glanced at Naruto and ran at Orochimaru as Tsunade moved to Choji and Konahamaru, healing them. Now Iruka and Kakashi moved forward quickly as a team. Orochimaru had to fight them off together along with Sasuke. He was pulling out a lot of his tricks, giving a lot more of an effort then last time when he had fought Gaara, Naruto and Sasuke. Now he wasn't holding back and was damn near a demon of battle.

Naruto ran up and struck and they were all blasted back by some unknown jutsu. Naruto lay sprawled on the ground as Orochimaru quickly slammed his hand into Naruto's gut, calling out the name of his attack.

"Adaptive seal! Utter stopping deal!"

Naruto could feel his seal tingling as though someone was melting ice upon his chest to his toes. Naruto wearily kicked out high as the flow of red chakra abandoned it's master. Naruto and Kakashi were up at the same time, attacking the Sannin with all of their speed. The only problem was they it was a rare kick that ever landed upon the snake Shinobi. Knowing they were in a tight problem situation, both kage-level leaf-ninja began using jutsu.

"SPIRIT: SPEARATE AND SHRED!!" called Naruto, throwing his katana.

"FIRE STYLE: FIRE DRAGON JUTSU!" called Kakashi.

Orochimaru slammed two hands into the ground and a large snake statue came up, taking the damage. Naruto retracted the blade and sheathed it. Sasuke and Iruka came up from behind, both with a kunai in hand, striking at the man. Iruka was shoved and Orochimaru turned his arm hard behind his back, breaking it. Rage seethed through Naruto. He quickly ran at Orochimaru, using chakra to increase his speed.

"Too late!" shouted the Sannin.

He opened his mouth and the long grass blade came flying out of it. Blood dripped slowly down the handle of the blade, as the Sannin laughed. Naruto felt pain flow through him. Tears appeared and rage such as he could never have possibly known before now filled him as he bellowed. He came running hard at the Sannin at and invisible speed. However, he was too late, Orochimaru had stabbed Sasuke through the heart.


	27. Naruto Vs Orochimaru!

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 26: Naruto vs. Orochimaru!

(A/N: Yes I know Orochimaru can't take over a dead body, but I am the author to this fanfic so I am bending the rules. I am the god of this story, I can do that.)

Naruto slammed his foot into Orochimaru's face. The Sannin flew back and slammed into a large stone pillar. Naruto saw the blade run slowly throughout Sasuke's chest, up to Iruka, who couldn't duck quickly enough. The long thin blade ripped right through his neck, and the head fell to the ground, as useless as the body it had been detached from. Naruto kneeled and yelled in sheer emotional pain. Kakashi, Choji, Tsunade and Konahamaru all had tears in their eyes as well.

Naruto cried out, tears that were red-hot and angry spilled rapidly upon the floor. It was as though his brain was working at double speed. He could see the blood pouring slowly in several large streaks. He could see Sasuke's body slowly fall to it's knees before crumpling on the floor in a heap. He could practically feel his own blood boiling with sheer raging, angry, deadly, blue chakra. The hot tears on his face cooled and froze on his face.

It was as though his pain froze the very fabric of time, though for him alone. He could see the red blood of his dead friends. Yet, the blood didn't remain in it's spot upon the floor. It seemed to be bathing him in it's own horror, and it's own beauty. Naruto feel to his knees as huge waves of chakra came ebbing off of him. He managed to stand. He was radiating rage, hate, despair and power. Orochimaru stood and felt something he had never felt.

Orochimaru felt fear, cold hard fear, grip him. The man standing before him was no normal man. He had been cut off completely from the demon's chakra, but this... This was far worse then even the five-tailed state he had only once had to endure. Naruto glared at the snake Sannin who could not move for fear. His very brain seemed frozen in place. All the while, Naruto calmly walked forward, cloak swishing back and forth.

He suddenly made a quick movement with his hands, though it was impossible to tell if it was a hand sign or not. Orochimaru felt himself blasted very far backwards with just pure chakra. He was hurled straight into the wall and left behind a very large imprint of a man behind as he fell to the floor. Naruto ran at him, and Orochimaru threw kunai that missed by meters. Naruto ignored the weapons and came right up in his face.

Naruto continued to pound the man with all his might, the Sannin could do little to resist. He managed to plant a firm kunai within Naruto's shoulder. To his complete shock, the dagger did nothing at all. Naruto gave no smirk. There was no gloating smile upon his face. There was only a pure, cold hate, and an even colder pain. The pain wasn't one of physical, but emotional. He was in terrible pain, so much so that he couldn't even think or feel his own soul.

He took a moment to turn and look. He now knew just why Orochimaru's kunai had missed him so drastically. Tsunade, Kankuro and Choji had seen why, only far too late. Tsunade had a blade directly in her chest, Choji in his right eye and leg. Kankuro was the worst. Three knives pierced his chest, and two more were in his right shoulder. Kakashi sat in front of Iruka, Tsunade and Sasuke, on his knees. Forgetting Orochimaru, Naruto ran to Kakashi.

The scarecrow ninja was crying heavily. He was constantly holding and dropping Iruka's or Sasuke's hand. When it seemed he would never do anything else ever again he addressed Naruto. His voice was far more dead then it had ever been.

"Twice."

"Huh?" asked Naruto.

"Twice I failed to save my best friends. First Obito, now Iruka. Put that next to Sasuke, why am I alive?"

"Sensei—"

"Dammit Naruto! I don't deserve that title! Don't give that respect! Hate me! Please hate me! Hate me so I can feel that my pain is real! Please hate me!"

"Sensei, I—"

His words were again cut off as a long, thin blade came through Kakashi's chest. The ninja stopped moving, and fell face first into the dirt.

"Ku ku ku," said Orochimaru. "Try not to be too hard on the boy, Kakashi-san. After all, why taint a young soul with such things. After all, if it makes you feel better you can just assume that I killed you because I hate you. Unless of course, he may be right. Did you hate him, or love him, Naruto-kun?"

"You..." said Naruto in a dead silence. "You have taken everything from me. You killed my mother and all three father figures I have. I can never forgive you for what you have done. I can never forgive you for this. I am going to kill you. You bastard."

His voice was deadly, low and a thing of hate and rage within the calm monotone covering. Orochimaru could feel the menace directed at him, and took a few steps back. It would do him no good. Faster then the blink of an eye Naruto was right up in Orochimaru's face, and he struck a blow with such force that the Sannin broke right through a pillar and another wall. The snake ninja fell to the ground and spat up a mass of blood.

Orochimaru ran quickly past him and Naruto did nothing to stop him, until he saw what Orochimaru was actually doing. However, by the time he knew what the Sannin was up to, there was no hope for it. Orochimaru's very soul was ripped from within his body, and flew into Sasuke's through the mouth. Naruto ran forward with all his speed and grace as the red eye of the Sharigan opened up, facing him once more.

Naruto swore and tossed two kunai at the beast. To his surprised they both skimmed the snake master. Naruto's eyes widened in shock, then narrowed in victory, and hate. He knew just what was going on before Orochimaru even opened his vile mouth.

"Dammit, this body is still too new to work properly."

Naruto pulled out his blade with quick speed and used his shred move again. This time Orochimaru could not dodge it quickly enough. Naruto seemed to see every single shard that pierced his best friend's body. They tore at the flesh and the organs beneath the guard of skin. Naruto didn't stop though, he kept using two or three quick signs to send the shards back through his body repeatedly.

Yet again, the shards caught what dim light there was. However, what was truly amazing was that when they caught the candlelight, they were not their normal shade of the light pink that was a wonderful joy to behold. They were a cold, dead, ocean blue. When they would go completely through Sasuke's body, they would come out the other end drenched with warm blood. It oozed down and off the metal of the blade as Naruto retracted his blade into it's singular form.

Orochimaru lay, bleeding everywhere, a thing that was no longer even human. The snake Sannin had ceased remaining an ordinary human a long time ago. However, his very bone and body figure were no longer that of a man's structure. The bones were broken or dead. The skin, or what remained of it, was drenched in blood or peeling, as the ninja screamed himself to death. Naruto stood crying. They weren't the sighlent, non-existent tears one sees at a funeral. They were real.

"WHY?!" he screamed aloud. "WHY DOES EVERYONE I LOVE DIE!? WHAT HAVE I DONE FOR THIS?"

He fell to the ground and beat his fists upon it. There was no one there to tell him it would be alright. There was no one to tell him that he had to move on, or buck up. There wasn't even anyone who could just tell him that this was the life a Shinobi, and if he didn't like it he could just quit. He finally, almost in a drunk way, passed out upon the cold, marble floor.

When he woke late, very late, he sat up as though he had a lot of trouble with the task. He finally managed to build up enough chakra to use Hiraishin. With a crack like thunder, he appeared in the Hokage's circle office and thought aloud a little.

"Finally, it is no longer the Hokage's office, but mine, my own. Yet, was it worth it? The death of Tsunade, Iruka, Choji, Konahamaru and finally Kakashi-sensei?"

Naruto grabbed the white Hokage cloak of his father and threw it about his own shoulders, with his normal Jonnin attire underneath it. He put the hat atop his head and walked up on top of the high balcony, he could do this alone, as Kakashi had disbanded the council of elders during his rein.

"Hear me Kohona! The seventh Hokage has been chosen for the past five years! Now he obtains the throne! Say hello to the seventh Hokage, Naruto Uzamaki!"

He tossed the hat off of his head. There was mostly loud and proud cheers upon his position in power. He held up his hands again and the crowd slowly fell quiet after a chant of, 'Uza-maki, Uza-maki!" Then he spoke again in a voice with far more sadness.

"Even though today may be a day of happiness for my arrival, it is also a day of much sadness. Five fine ninja have been murdered, by Orochimaru. Kakashi my sensei and the sixth Hokage, Konahamaru the grandson of the third Hokage, Tsunade of the Sannin, Iruka the academy teacher and Sasuke, my brother and the very last of the Uchiha clan. Today, on this one day of this one year alone, we shall have a day of quiet and respect for those who gave their lives for this."

The whole village fell quiet in respect for the dead. Naruto gloomily moved to his house. He was so weary and upset he didn't even think about using Hiraishin or picking up ramen. When he finally got back to his apparent me stopped to look around. The village was finally all his job to defend, yet was it worth his loss? The very weather itself seemed to be upset. Dark and dangerous clouds loomed horribly overhead. Black rain fell from the skies and dropped upon the head of all.

"Naruto-kun?"

Naruto didn't have to turn or to even think to know it was Temari. Her very presence was soothing to him, yet he had no wish to be soothed. He wanted to feel pain, to feel hate. He turned to her, apologized and told her he couldn't stay tonight. She was deeply upset, but a began to come to accept things like this from her husband. Naruto moved to her, and she looked in his eyes. They bore many free tears. Allowing herself some sacrifice for him, as she loved him.

Naruto leapt off and dashed with his might to the top of the fourth Hokage's head. He lay face-down into the dirt of the hair. He looked around a little. He was the son, or son-like figure of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth Hokages. He smiled, then groaned in the reality that they were all dead. He lay down and wasn't at all prepared for what would happen that night. He was working on putting back his emotions, so as not to break down the next day, despite the fact that it would mean several trips to the memorial stone later.

He rolled over and calmed himself. He looked up at the sky, something that often calmed him down in his earlier days. He kept reminding himself of everyone that was now watching him. Hinata, His father, His mother, Jiyria, Tsunade, Kakashi, Iruka, Konahamaru, Sarutobi, Sasuke, Shikamaru, Choji, Neji, and Kankuro, who had fallen to a four-year war Suna and Kohona had with sound. Naruto lay down, morning those who had died for him.


	28. Naruto Uzamaki Vs Kyuubi no Kitsune

The Battle For Hyrule:

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 27: Naruto vs. Kyuubi!

Though Naruto had laid himself down to rest for the night, he received no sleep. In fact, he was up all night, yelling and writhing in pain. Naruto was in so much emotional distress that he mental shields had lowered themselves, and thusly, Kyuubi had seen an exit; he had taken it. Naruto lay up atop the fourth Hokage's head and screamed from shear pain. The called was so dark, so inhuman that it chilled the village to the bone.

It went on for hours. Late into the next morning sunrise the seventh Hokage yelled and cried for friends and family, deceased or alive, he couldn't distinguish. No one could do anything to help him, though all tired, because they knew not what pained him. Temari had arrived with Xilic and was trying to sooth the child and Naruto while crying herself. Xilic for his part, was soothing his father as best he could, which wasn't much.

At around mid-day, Naruto finally collapsed and went limp. No one outside could even try to picture the battle of will and power that was taking place within the young blonde Hokage's head. The battle was more then the desire to escape or prevent said escape. It was hate for one another.

Naruto wasted no time and ran right at Kyuubi, forming a crackling Chidori. Kyuubi grabbed Naruto's wrist and forced it away from him. Naruto canceled the jutsu and put his hand on the stone ground, leaving his feet in the air. Naruto pushed off of the hand and kicked out at Kyuubi. The demon acted with insane speed and stopped the blow. Then the beast kicked at Naruto's exposed the chest. The blonde grabbed the demon's leg and pulled at it with all his might.

The great nine-tailed demon came toppling down. Naruto quickly position himself so that he fell on top of his foe and punched every inch of Kyuubi he could. Not for nothing though, was Kyuubi the greatest demon of all time. His speed and power kept him in a good enough state to match Naruto. Naruto kept switching up his moves and attacks, once in a while, throwing in a jutsu. Kyuubi have been faster and stronger then Naruto was, but he wasn't the number one hyperactive knucklehead ninja for nothing.

Naruto spun to the right and kicked him in the chest. Kyuubi was sent flying through the cellar to the wall. Naruto put his hands in the snake seal and attack Kyuubi with his mind. Hard, stone-like barriers guarded the demon's mind. Naruto rammed into it with his own mind with all his force. The wall shattered and Naruto switched his hands to the bird seal. Kyuubi feel to his knees and screams as his blood began to fly though his body at an increased rate.

Naruto moved to the horse seal and worked on destroying Kyuubi's memories. He skipped over anything that left the demon with hate or dispair. However, and one thing that left him with happiness, he destroyed. Kyuubi yelled and cursed Naruto before finally throwing him out of his mind. Kyuubi's mind was damaged, though not nearly so much as Naruto would've liked. In here, ordinary rules didn't apply. For example, both contestants had unlimited chakra.

There was no point in trying to tire the other out, what was the real challenge was breaking into the other's mind and shattering it. It was slowly replaced and rebuilt upon it's own. It was a terrible fight and all the worse for the loser. Once when Naruto lost he was unable to move for a full week. Temari had been especially worried.

Naruto shook these thoughts from his brain and kicked Kyuubi hard in the chin. The demon blocked it and hit Naruto in the side. He was sent flying and skidding along the stone ground. His skin broke and blood covered the floors until he stood and his injuries were almost instantly healed. Kyuubi smirked and attacked with his own mind. Instead of defending as he usually did. While attacking back with his mind Naruto leapt at Kyuubi and with every blow, they caught glimpses of each others' thoughts.

A blow from Naruto.

**The kit has gotten so much stronger!**

A return blow from Kyuubi.

I will defeat the beast to defend my wife and son!

A kick from Naruto.

**Dammit, I refuse to lose here!**

Another attack from Kyuubi.

I will not be defeated here!

On and on it went. Neither combatant tired or gave ground. When either one was injured, they were healed a mere second later. Finally Kyuubi broke into his mind. Naruto knew what was at sake and shoved the demon back out, and while the thing's defenses were still down, Naruto broke in and smashed whatever memory he could. However, Naruto had no more then a mere two seconds. Kyuubi threw him out and a large circle of light appeared before both foes.

The circle symbolized pride, courage, happiness and everything good in the world to Naruto. To Kyuubi, it was freedom, power and the promise of invincibility. Both leapt at the portal, feelings of freedom in either heart. They appeared again atop the Hokage mountain. The cool night air was slightly refreshing. Naruto stood tall and proud in his Hokage robes as he threw the hat off into the distance, and slowly removed the headband.

"Why take that off?" Kyuubi asked. "Isn't it your way of the ninja or some such shit?"

"Because today I will kill you for my reason and not for the village. I am glad to see my seals did something in the end."

"Still as quick as ever. Your right, I don't have unlimited chakra anymore, but I have more then enough for you and them."

"Them?"

Naruto turned quickly, and Temari and Xilic lay next to where he had been writhing in pain. Others were fleeing off the side of the mountain from the Kyuubi. Temari was holding Xilic close to her as he was crying.

"Leave them alone, your battle is with me."

"Indeed, but when you're dead, your wife may make a fine vixen."

Naruto's eyes seemed to darken.

"YOU TOUCH HER AND I'LL RIP YOU TO SHREADS!"

Naruto ran up and kicked the demon. Kyuubi took two steps back. Then Naruto drew back his left fist, and with all the chakra he could call on in the time he had, he punched Kyuubi hard in the chest. Bones shattered and blood sprayed across the demon's breast. Kyuubi coughed up blood and vanished behind Naruto, right behind Temari. Naruto yelled and used Hiraishin as fast as he could. He reappeared behind Kyuubi and grabbed the beast around the middle.

However, Kyuubi had already attack and his left paw, claws extended, he gone through Temari's torso. Naruto threw the monster and grabbed the woman he loved. Her blood was on his hands and stained her clothes. Her face, normally so confident, was scared and shaky. Her limbs were jumpy and blood was pumping out of her rapidly. Kyuubi had severed the muscles around her heart. No medical-nin, save for Tsunade would've even stood a chance of saving her.

"TEMARI! TEMARI! NO STAY WITH ME!"

Naruto suddenly stopped moving. Temari's hand and lips were cold as he held her hand and kissed her one last time. His shoulders shook as he slowly stood and looked around at the beast who had taken his lover from her. He loosed a savage war cry and rushed at the demon with the rage and power of a barbarian. Kyuubi stood in shock as Naruto punched and clawed and kicked him all over. The boy wouldn't stop. Kunai, shiriken, his blades, anything he could grab hold of found it's way into Kyuubi's body.

Kyuubi threw the attacks out and heals himself quickly. Then, Naruto yelled again and ran at Kyuubi, knocking the great demon to the ground. With all his might, Naruto forced his hand to the beast's neck and pushed down with all the strength he had in him. Kyuubi moaned and coughed up blood unto Naruto's face. It was smooth, and oily. Naruto used what he could of his power and pushed his hands tighter together.

Naruto lifted his right hand to repeatedly slam his fist into Kyuubi's face while forcing down harder and harder with his left hand. Kyuubi couldn't breathe and the world spun before his eyes. Naruto kept hitting him, determined to continue pound the thing until it's brains were splattered across Kohona. Not for nothing though, had the fourth been forced to die fighting the demon. Kyuubi forced Naruto off him and Naruto's rage did nothing to help him.

Kyuubi slash right through Naruto's chest with his razor sharp claws and drew blood. Naruto wheezed and hacked up a large pile of blood watered down with spit and vomit. Kyuubi laughed loudly and gloatingly.

"I am a God!"

A large brown amount of sand slammed into him with the force of a wreaking ball and sent him sprawling across the ground. There stood the Kazekage, Gaara. He had emotion showing plainly upon his, he was pissed. When he spoke however, his voice was a deadly quiet.

"So you kill my sister… and now you try to kill someone who is closer then a brother to me? I can't allow you to live any longer. Prepare to die."

He held up one hand and moved with a speed and grace Naruto never could've expected of the solitary man. Naruto leapt up and Gaara glanced at him, then continued to attack Kyuubi, covering the Hokage. Naruto used several of his quicker jutsu while Gaara provided the strong hitters. Kyuubi was finding himself hopeless overpowered. One Hokage he could handle, but two Kage level foes? That was beyond his weakened body.

Naruto hit him in the chest with fireball jutsu and Kyuubi rolled behind the boy, the one who had escaped the first attack against the girl how Naruto loved. He slashed clean through the boy's waiting head and grinned.

Naruto seemed to see it happen in slow motion. Kyuubi standing up in a flash, turning and cutting clean through his little boy's head. The head was suspended in mid-air for a small moment. Then the blood feel along with it. It hit the ground long before the body crumpled up the dead rock in a heap. Naruto ordered his body to move, yet he was frozen in place, unable to act. Overwhelmed by trying to fight the beast alone, Gaara couldn't hold Kyuubi off.

The claws ripped right through the sand barrier and the Kazekage's body. Blood spurted from the wounds as Naruto used Hiraishin again to take the hit for Gaara. This time, he succeeded. The blow merely smote him and tossed him skidding along the mountain. The next swipe, hit Gaara right in the heart. Naruto saw the only person he could've ever connected to fall to the ground, utterly dead. Rage filled him so much that his heart rate quickened.

Naruto ran full-force at the demon and tackled him with all the momentum, power, hate, rage, sorrow, caring, bloodlust and that were left him. Kyuubi stood not chance of blocking the blow and the attack's momentum carried them farther then most would've been able to guess. It flung them slowly, ever so slowly off the lip of the Hokage monument. Naruto made sure to knock Kyuubi's head into the rock with all his power as they fell and the demon feel into a state of half-death.

Naruto looked at the mighty beast and laughed loudly, and freely as they fell. He let go of the beast and looked down still laughing. To some it may have appeared as though Naruto had gone completely insane, yet it was not so. Naruto was laughing because he knew everything, beginning but not ending with his life, was at last, over.

Two heads hit the ground with tremendous force. Two large craters were made in the ground. Two necks snapped, and Naruto Uzamaki and Kyuubi no Kitsune both lay dead at the bottom of the massive mountains, one of them, finally victorious.


	29. The Afterlife

Naruto: Sand Shinobi

By: Hugo Reed

Chapter 28: The Afterlife

Darkness. All he could see, was darkness. There may have been light somewhere at some point, but it wasn't in that place. He tried to remember the name he had been given as to address himself. Naruto… he was Naruto. He looked around, squinting as hard as he could, while memories of his life came back to him as though in a haze. Time didn't exist in this place, it would've been meaningless if it had. What good would a twelve-hour clock do him in a place where there was no sun?

Naruto was eventually able to determine that he was, indeed, laying down, though on what he knew not. He wearily stretched to assure himself that he did indeed still have limbs. He finally could remember everything and knew not what to do. If this was death, what was he supposed to do? Was this what happened after death after all? Just a long black endless nothing stretched forever around him. Suddenly a steady sound reached his ears.

Crunch, click, crunch, click. It went on for a steady time, what would've been minutes if they existed. Then whatever was clicking clicked twice in quick succession, and a light came on. It wasn't an electric light, rather a floating orb that flashed with an angry light of it's own. Naruto stared at it. Terrible as it may have been, it held a wonder and beauty to him. The light suddenly flashed harder then ever and dispersed.

Naruto was completely blinded for a moment, forced to shut his eyes from the pain pounding through his blood vessels. When he could finally will himself to try again, he opened his eyes a fraction of an inch. At first all he could see was a bright white. It was so bright that it turned his own body to a pure black for a moment. Then he could see a little. He opened his eyes fully and saw what was clearly, a tile floor. Naruto blinked again and he could see several pure black pillars extending into the nothingness that was pure white sky.

He looked around again and saw another figure. It was hooded and cloaked. Naruto tried with all his might, even using chakra to enhance his vision, to see beneath the hood of the figure. All his attempts failed. Naruto wearily stood up, finding that he was lying down and looked at himself. The first thing he noticed was that he was unclothed. Then he saw that he seal was gone, and not only that mark, but his six whisker marks were gone as well.

For the first time, Naruto wished he were clothed. Almost at once, a set of white robes fluttered to his side. He pulled them on calmly before addressing the hooded figure. Naruto's was the low, demanding voice he often used against foes or unknown quantities.

"Who are you?"

"I go by many names, Naruto Uzamaki," said the figure. "You, however, probably know me first and foremost, as death or the death god."

The voice was almost hollow in and of itself. It was cold with hate, and warm with rage.

The figure point at Naruto, and he saw that the finger was a long bleach-white bone. Naruto felt his limbs grow heavy and his heart grow cold. Then a large flash of light went off and a long, golden blade appeared within the skeleton's hand. Naruto felt his resolve harden and stood calmly, robes swaying slightly from the enormous chakra flowing from death.

"You will not run, Uzamaki?"

"Why ought I?"

"Do you not fear death, the end of your life?" asked the death god. "Here you will appear in the form you most prefer, but you are still able to die! Do you fear me?!"

"No," said Naruto. "I have nothing to live for, my entire family and friends have been killed. I have no more reason to want to live. I have no one left dear to me to protect. They have all found you in one way or another."

"Is that so?" asked death. "Then if threat will not make you battle, perhaps anger or fear will."

Death flipped one hand over and a circle swirled around in the floor before a figure slowly amassed from it's depths. Kyuubi stood in front of Naruto in his humanoid form. Nine tails swung slowly behind him back and forth.

"If you will not fight, Uzamaki," said death flipping his other hand over. "All your loved ones suffer in the afterlife."

A large steel cage rose up and Naruto looked over. All his friends, every single one he had ever known that had died, were before him. They were behind bars that held a shiny silver lock on it. Kyuubi turned to them with a hungry expression. Naruto felt his own blue chakra flood and overflow his system. He was releasing large blasts of chakra without being able to contain them or stop himself.

"KYUUBI-NO-KITSUNE!" he shouted. "I AM GOING TO KILL YOU ONCE AND FOR ALL!"

Naruto ran up to the cage, faster then the speed of sound, and smashed the lock off with his elbow. He felt no pain and hurriedly pulled everyone out. He had no time to greet anyone or remember anything. However, he locked eyes for a spilt second with only six. Temari, Xilic, Sakura, Hinata and his mother and father. They were all just as he remembered and loved them. The only large difference was the little Xilic was much, much older, at least fifteen. 

Naruto felt so proud of the boy. Though he quickly shoved his emotions aside. Duty, then joy.

"Sasuke! Kakashi!"

Both ninja jumped to his side, more than willing to follow his orders. Naruto formed the ox, hare, monkey and dog seals twice in quick succession and both hands crackled to life with a chidori. Sasuke and Kakashi leapt into action, both performing the same move, but with one hand. They each smashed their own blast into one of Naruto's and ran right at Kyuubi. The fox tried to dodge and found himself held still by both a shadow possession and a large fist.

"We got your back Naruto!" shouted Shikamaru and Choji.

Naruto and Sasuke attacked first, slamming their chidori into Kyuubi's hip, then Kakashi and Naruto hit the breastbone. Kyuubi howled and healed himself. Naruto swore and called to Hinata, Neji and Tsunade. They came running, Hinata just as ready to do as he asked of her as she always had been.

"Hinata! Neji! Block Kyuubi's chakra points! Tsunade, try and find out if he heals in a different way, and if he does, end it!"

They rushed forward to do their jobs as Naruto gave orders again.

"Team up! Kakashi-sensei with Sasuke! Gaara with Kankuro! Jiyria-sensei with Xilic! Iruka-sensei with Sakura! Mother, you're with Konahamaru and the third! Father, you're with me! MOVE!"

When he said move, they moved. No questions asked. It was a mark of how deep they all loved and trusted him that no one even began to object to their partner. Naruto and the fourth Hokage moved forward in a blur. When he could, Naruto kept stealing glances at his father. They did look a lot alike, and Naruto could tell that he was proud of his son. Naruto smiled and ran at Kyuubi, determined to destroy the beast who had stolen a life with his family from him.

Both Hokages formed a resengan and ran at the Kyuubi, leaving a large, spun crater into his side. Naruto smiled and called for the groups to break. Then he called out the others in groups. Once again, they all obeyed him.

"Hokage formation!"

Tsunade, Sarutobi, Kakashi, Naruto's father and Naruto himself all stood in a V shaped formation. Naruto threw his open hand forward and both the fourth and seventh Hokages vanished with Hiraishin at the same time. Tsunade ran forward, fist drawn back to kill. Sarutobi was forming quick summoning seals. Kakashi ran up to the demon, with Chidori in hand. Kakashi struck first, chidori hitting Kyuubi's head. 

The electric blast barely damaged the beast and Kakashi slid back as Kyuubi managed to fling Choji and Shikamaru off of him. Then Sarutobi hit with a great fire blast in the chest. Kyuubi smirked as the burn mark simply healed and vanished. Tsunade quickly hit Kyuubi dead-center in the head. Kyuubi was sent flying and healed himself again just in time for Naruto and the fourth to appear. Both blue-eyed Hokages struck at the demon with a resengan, and were thrust aside. Naruto ordered them back.

"Squad seven formation!"

Kakashi stayed put, and while the others ran back, Sakura and Sasuke ran forward.

"SASUKE!" called Naruto, forming resengan.

Sasuke nodded and ran forward with his chidori in hand, smashing the two together they called the attack name proudly.

"CHIDORESENGAN!"

Naruto guided the blow to hit the Kyuubi in the side and the beast grabbed and turned Sasuke's arm, causing the bone to snap in two. Naruto hit the thing in the left arm and Kyuubi jumped back holding an angry wheel on his arm.

"Quick, Sakura, before he heals!"

Naruto turned to Sakura to see her sitting and holding her head, moaning his name again and again.

"Great," he moaned. "I turned her into a vegetable."

Naruto looked back and saw Kyuubi healing himself again. Then death moved quickly, now standing behind Kyuubi, great golden sword in hand.

"Your pathetic," said death.

"But sensei—" Kyuubi began.

However, he never spoke again after that, for death rammed him through the middle with his golden gleaming blade. Then he turned to Naruto.

"Uzamaki, you avert me too often, for too long. Goodbye."

Death moved in the blink of an eye and struck at the young Hokage. Naruto dodged to left, only to find Hinata and Temari holding an arm of the god-like figure. It caused them great waves of pain through their own arms, but their love held them firm. Then Xilic ran up and struck the beast in the head with a kunai. No visible effect was made. Naruto swore and called out a new formation.

"Sasuke, Gaara, Neji, Brother formation!"

Naruto ran up to death alongside Neji, Sasuke and Gaara. Neji leapt atop Gaara's sand and both rushed forward, while Sasuke charged up a chidori. Naruto waited, motioning for Sasuke to go on ahead with the attack. Chidoresengan was a powerful attack, but where is failed a chidori followed by a resengan may help them a lot more, as it had on several adventures. The beauty was chidori was a jab-type move while resengan was a hard haymaker, so they were perfect team attacks.

"CHIDORI!" screamed Sasuke. "Naruto! You're up!"

Naruto ran up, making the blue chakra follow through his arms and into his right hand. He moved forward, his love for his friends pushing him onward. He shoved the pulsing attack into the chest of their foe. The blast effects sent all men spiraling backward. Then death stood, his cloak in tatters, and his breastbone in half.

"Uzamaki," he said in a weaker voice. "I surrender. You may pass unto the gates of heaven."

His figure slowly diminished and vanished, like dust in the wind. Naruto turned around, and gave a loud yell of triumph. Then, he ran to his friends and family, all of which wanted to speak to him. Finally it was calm enough to hear something.

First he found his father and mother.

"Son," said the fourth Hokage. "I am so proud of what you've become. You are far greater a man then I could've ever hoped to be. I love you. I know you can probably never forgive what I had to do to you by sealing the Kyuubi in you."

"No," said Naruto. "I never once thought you did it to hurt me. You were just defending who you loved. Besides, as Jiyria-sensei would say, what's done is done and can't be changed."

"Thank you."

"I am sorry," said his mother. "For leaving you to face everything you went through. Remember, we did what we had to and no more then we had to. We both love you with all our hearts. We are very proud of you, Naruto-kun. You've become such a strong person."

"I missed you two the most of all… I love you both."

He embraced them quickly and moved on.

"Naruto," said Sarutobi. "You've grown so much. I am very proud to have known you."

"Old man, you watched over me from the beginning. I am so sorry I couldn't save you."

"You were a great joy in my life."

Naruto felt himself overflow with happiness. Yet it wasn't nearly over.

"You know how we feel about you Naruto," said Tsunade, indicating herself and Jiyria. "We both love you."

Jiyria nodded to Naruto, who smiled back.

"You were practically parents to me."

Tsunade had tears in her eyes.

"Uzamaki," said Neji. "You are the greatest man I could've ever hoped to have met. You taught me fate doesn't control any single man, nor need I bow to it."

Naruto stopped and looked at Sakura who was bailing in tears.

"Sakura," he said. "I can't forgive what you did to me, but I am glad you finally know what you did was wrong, and that I was right for what I did. Maybe, one day in the future, we could try, and again I say, try to be friends."

"Naruto," said Gaara and Kankuro. "Thank you."

Then Gaara alone added, "I am forever in your debt. You are my best and only true friend."

"Naruto," said Shikamaru and Choji. "You'll always be our friend. We are always here for you."

"Thanks," said Naruto smiling happily.

"Hmph," said Sasuke. "Don't go crying now dead last."

"Of course not," said Naruto. "Bastard."

"Dad," said Xilic. "I know I wasn't alive long enough to properly become a man, but I want you to know I do love you, and I was proud to call you my father!"

"Naruto-kun," said Temari, then she kissed him quickly. "You're always my husband and my lover. Thank you for everything."

"As I love you," he said, kissing her back.

"Naruto-kun," said a much smaller voice.

Naruto turned around in a quick circle to find little Hinata standing there, beautiful as ever.

"I understand that you love Temari-san, but um…"

"Hinata-hime," he said, cupping her chin. "I loved you truly. You were the one who open up my heart to true love. I will always love you alongside Temari-hime."

Then he kissed her lightly and turned. He went to Temari and put his free arm around her, walking off with his friends and family. He was finally just where he deserved to be, in a place where he could be happy forevermore.

END

I am sorry I didn't do the last poll. I ran out of time.

Ja Ne 

HR.


End file.
